Instagram

Exclusion, resilience and the Chinese American experience on 'Mott Street'

This week on the podcast, we're revisiting a conversation we had with Ava Chin about her book, Mott Street. Through decades of painstaking research, the fifth-generation New Yorker discovered the stories of how her ancestors bore and resisted the weight of the Chinese Exclusion laws in the U.S. – and how the legacy of that history still affects her family today.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Exclusion, resilience and the Chinese American experience on 'Mott Street'

This week on the podcast, we're revisiting a conversation we had with Ava Chin about her book, Mott Street. Through decades of painstaking research, the fifth-generation New Yorker discovered the stories of how her ancestors bore and resisted the weight of the Chinese Exclusion laws in the U.S. – and how the legacy of that history still affects her family today.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

31:02

1 May 24

How Hip-Hop Fights The Power — And Also Serves It

For hip-hop's not-official-but-kind-of-official 50th birthday, we dig into its many contradictions. From the legend of the South Bronx block party where hip-hop was born to the multi-billion-dollar global industry and tool for U.S. diplomacy it has become, America's relationship with hip-hop — and the people who make it — is complicated.

How Hip-Hop Fights The Power — And Also Serves It

For hip-hop's not-official-but-kind-of-official 50th birthday, we dig into its many contradictions. From the legend of the South Bronx block party where hip-hop was born to the multi-billion-dollar global industry and tool for U.S. diplomacy it has become, America's relationship with hip-hop — and the people who make it — is complicated.

34:23

9 Aug 23

Honoring My Enslaved Ancestors, Part One

Code Switch co-host B.A. Parker digs into what it means to maintain the legacy of her ancestors. In part one of two episodes, Parker goes to a symposium for descendants of slavery and meets people who, like her, are caretakers of "culturally significant historical places."

Honoring My Enslaved Ancestors, Part One

Code Switch co-host B.A. Parker digs into what it means to maintain the legacy of her ancestors. In part one of two episodes, Parker goes to a symposium for descendants of slavery and meets people who, like her, are caretakers of "culturally significant historical places."

33:44

21 Jun 23

The Original Rainbow Coalition

In this episode we turn to late 1960s Chicago, when three unlikely groups came together to form a coalition based on interracial solidarity. It's hard to imagine this kind of collaboration today, but we dove into how a group of Black radicals, Confederate flag-waving white Southerners, and street-gang-turned-activist Puerto Ricans found common ground.

The Original Rainbow Coalition

In this episode we turn to late 1960s Chicago, when three unlikely groups came together to form a coalition based on interracial solidarity. It's hard to imagine this kind of collaboration today, but we dove into how a group of Black radicals, Confederate flag-waving white Southerners, and street-gang-turned-activist Puerto Ricans found common ground.

24:35

25 Jan 23

Why the trope of the 'outside agitator' persists

As protests continue to rock the campuses of colleges and universities, a familiar set of questions is being raised: Are these protests really being led by students? Or are the real drivers of the civil disobedience outsiders, seizing on an opportunity to wreak chaos and stir up trouble?Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Why the trope of the 'outside agitator' persists

As protests continue to rock the campuses of colleges and universities, a familiar set of questions is being raised: Are these protests really being led by students? Or are the real drivers of the civil disobedience outsiders, seizing on an opportunity to wreak chaos and stir up trouble?Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

31:01

15 May 24

In 'Chicano Frankenstein,' the undead are the new underpaid labor force

Daniel Olivas's novel puts a new spin on the age-old Frankenstein story. In this retelling, 12 million "reanimated" people provide a cheap workforce for the United States...and face a very familiar type of bigotry.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

In 'Chicano Frankenstein,' the undead are the new underpaid labor force

Daniel Olivas's novel puts a new spin on the age-old Frankenstein story. In this retelling, 12 million "reanimated" people provide a cheap workforce for the United States...and face a very familiar type of bigotry.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

33:59

8 May 24

How Jewish Communities Are Divided Over Support of Israel

In the wake of October 7, and the bombardment of Gaza by the Israeli government, many American Jews have found themselves questioning something that had long felt like a given: that if you were Jewish, you would support Israel, and that was that. But as more Jews speak out against Israel's actions in Gaza, it's exposing deep rifts within Jewish communities – including ones that are threatening to break apart friendships, families, and institutions.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

How Jewish Communities Are Divided Over Support of Israel

In the wake of October 7, and the bombardment of Gaza by the Israeli government, many American Jews have found themselves questioning something that had long felt like a given: that if you were Jewish, you would support Israel, and that was that. But as more Jews speak out against Israel's actions in Gaza, it's exposing deep rifts within Jewish communities – including ones that are threatening to break apart friendships, families, and institutions.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

41:02

24 Apr 24

The Rise and Fall of the Panama Canal

The Panama Canal has been dubbed the greatest engineering feat in human history. It's also (perhaps less favorably) been called the greatest liberty mankind has ever taken with Mother Nature. But due to climate change, the Canal is drying up and fewer than half of the ships that used to pass through are now able to do so. So how did we get here? Today on the show, we're talking to Cristina Henriquez, the author of a new novel that explores the making of the Canal. It took 50,000 people from 90 different countries to carve the land in two — and the consequences of that extraordinary, nature-defying act are still echoing through our present.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The Rise and Fall of the Panama Canal

The Panama Canal has been dubbed the greatest engineering feat in human history. It's also (perhaps less favorably) been called the greatest liberty mankind has ever taken with Mother Nature. But due to climate change, the Canal is drying up and fewer than half of the ships that used to pass through are now able to do so. So how did we get here? Today on the show, we're talking to Cristina Henriquez, the author of a new novel that explores the making of the Canal. It took 50,000 people from 90 different countries to carve the land in two — and the consequences of that extraordinary, nature-defying act are still echoing through our present.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

32:06

17 Apr 24

Reflecting on the legacy of O.J. Simpson

With the news of O.J. Simpson's death on Thursday, we're revisiting our reporting from 2016, where we took a look into how Simpson went from being "too famous to be Black," to becoming a stand-in for the way Black people writ-large were mistreated by the U.S. carceral system.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Reflecting on the legacy of O.J. Simpson

With the news of O.J. Simpson's death on Thursday, we're revisiting our reporting from 2016, where we took a look into how Simpson went from being "too famous to be Black," to becoming a stand-in for the way Black people writ-large were mistreated by the U.S. carceral system.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

17:03

12 Apr 24

How Frederick Douglass launched generations of Black and Irish solidarity

What's a portrait of Frederick Douglass doing hanging in an Irish-themed pub in Washington, D.C.? To get to the answer, Parker and Gene dive deep into the long history of solidarity and exchange between Black civil rights leaders and Irish republican activists, starting with Frederick Douglass' visit to Ireland in 1845.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

How Frederick Douglass launched generations of Black and Irish solidarity

What's a portrait of Frederick Douglass doing hanging in an Irish-themed pub in Washington, D.C.? To get to the answer, Parker and Gene dive deep into the long history of solidarity and exchange between Black civil rights leaders and Irish republican activists, starting with Frederick Douglass' visit to Ireland in 1845.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

31:57

10 Apr 24

WTF does race have to do with taxes?

It's that time of year again: time to file your taxes. And this week on the pod, we're revisiting our conversation with Dorothy A. Brown, a tax expert and author of The Whiteness Of Wealth: How The Tax System Impoverishes Black Americans And How To Fix It. She talks through the racial landmines in our tax code and how your race plays a big role in whether you get audited, how much you might owe the IRS, which tax breaks you can get, and even which benefits you can claim.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

WTF does race have to do with taxes?

It's that time of year again: time to file your taxes. And this week on the pod, we're revisiting our conversation with Dorothy A. Brown, a tax expert and author of The Whiteness Of Wealth: How The Tax System Impoverishes Black Americans And How To Fix It. She talks through the racial landmines in our tax code and how your race plays a big role in whether you get audited, how much you might owe the IRS, which tax breaks you can get, and even which benefits you can claim.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

30:14

3 Apr 24

Who does language belong to? A fight over the Lakota Language

Many Lakota people agree: It's imperative to revitalize the Lakota language. But how exactly to do that is a matter of broader debate. Should Lakota be codified and standardized to make learning it easier? Or should the language stay as it always has been, defined by many different ways of writing and speaking? We explore this complex, multi-generational fight that's been unfolding in the Lakota Nation, from Standing Rock to Pine Ridge.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Who does language belong to? A fight over the Lakota Language

Many Lakota people agree: It's imperative to revitalize the Lakota language. But how exactly to do that is a matter of broader debate. Should Lakota be codified and standardized to make learning it easier? Or should the language stay as it always has been, defined by many different ways of writing and speaking? We explore this complex, multi-generational fight that's been unfolding in the Lakota Nation, from Standing Rock to Pine Ridge.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

39:13

27 Mar 24

Getting let down by the 'Great Expectations' of electoral politics

This episode is brought to you by our play cousins over at NPR's It's Been A Minute. Brittany Luse chops it up with New Yorker writer and podcast host Vinson Cunningham to discuss his debut novel Great Expectations. It's a period piece that follows the story of a young man working on an election campaign that echoes Obama's 2008 run. Brittany and Vinson discuss American politics as a sort of religion - and why belief in politics has changed so much in the last decade.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Getting let down by the 'Great Expectations' of electoral politics

This episode is brought to you by our play cousins over at NPR's It's Been A Minute. Brittany Luse chops it up with New Yorker writer and podcast host Vinson Cunningham to discuss his debut novel Great Expectations. It's a period piece that follows the story of a young man working on an election campaign that echoes Obama's 2008 run. Brittany and Vinson discuss American politics as a sort of religion - and why belief in politics has changed so much in the last decade.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

17:43

20 Mar 24

In the world of medicine, race-based diagnoses are more than skin deep

We've probably said it a hundred times on Code Switch — biological race is not a real thing. So why is race still used to help diagnose certain conditions, like keloids or cystic fibrosis? On this episode, Dr. Andrea Deyrup breaks it down for us, and unpacks the problems she sees with practicing race-based medicine.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

In the world of medicine, race-based diagnoses are more than skin deep

We've probably said it a hundred times on Code Switch — biological race is not a real thing. So why is race still used to help diagnose certain conditions, like keloids or cystic fibrosis? On this episode, Dr. Andrea Deyrup breaks it down for us, and unpacks the problems she sees with practicing race-based medicine.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

33:32

13 Mar 24

This conspiracy theory about eating bugs is also about race

Gene Demby and NPR's Huo Jingnan dive into a conspiracy theory about how "global elites" are forcing people to eat bugs. And no huge surprise — the theory's popularity is largely about its loudest proponents' racist fear-mongering.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

This conspiracy theory about eating bugs is also about race

Gene Demby and NPR's Huo Jingnan dive into a conspiracy theory about how "global elites" are forcing people to eat bugs. And no huge surprise — the theory's popularity is largely about its loudest proponents' racist fear-mongering.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

32:50

6 Mar 24

The musical legacy of Japanese American incarceration

In February of 1942 after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the U.S. government issued an executive order to incarcerate people of Japanese descent. That legacy has become a defining story of Japanese American identity. In this episode, B.A. Parker and producer Jess Kung explore how Japanese American musicians across generations turn to that story as a way to explore and express identity. Featuring Kishi Bashi, Erin Aoyama and Mary Nomura.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The musical legacy of Japanese American incarceration

In February of 1942 after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the U.S. government issued an executive order to incarcerate people of Japanese descent. That legacy has become a defining story of Japanese American identity. In this episode, B.A. Parker and producer Jess Kung explore how Japanese American musicians across generations turn to that story as a way to explore and express identity. Featuring Kishi Bashi, Erin Aoyama and Mary Nomura.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

30:21

28 Feb 24

Why menthol cigarettes have a chokehold on Black smokers

In the U.S., flavored cigarettes have been banned since 2009, with one glaring exception: menthols. That exception was supposed to go away in 2023, but the Biden administration quietly delayed the ban on menthols. Why? Well, an estimated 85 percent of Black smokers smoke menthols — and some (potentially suspect) polls have indicated that a ban on menthols would chill Biden's support among Black people. Of course, it's more complicated than that. The story of menthol cigarettes is tied up in policing, advertising, influencer-culture, and the weaponization of race and gender studies. Oh, and a real-life Black superhero named Mandrake the Magician.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Why menthol cigarettes have a chokehold on Black smokers

In the U.S., flavored cigarettes have been banned since 2009, with one glaring exception: menthols. That exception was supposed to go away in 2023, but the Biden administration quietly delayed the ban on menthols. Why? Well, an estimated 85 percent of Black smokers smoke menthols — and some (potentially suspect) polls have indicated that a ban on menthols would chill Biden's support among Black people. Of course, it's more complicated than that. The story of menthol cigarettes is tied up in policing, advertising, influencer-culture, and the weaponization of race and gender studies. Oh, and a real-life Black superhero named Mandrake the Magician.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

35:29

21 Feb 24

Before the apps, people used newspapers to find love

To celebrate the history of Black romance, Gene and Parker are joined by reporter Nichole Hill to explore the 1937 equivalent of dating apps — the personals section of one of D.C.'s Black newspapers. Parker attempts to match with a Depression-era bachelor, and along the way we learn about what love meant two generations removed from slavery.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Before the apps, people used newspapers to find love

To celebrate the history of Black romance, Gene and Parker are joined by reporter Nichole Hill to explore the 1937 equivalent of dating apps — the personals section of one of D.C.'s Black newspapers. Parker attempts to match with a Depression-era bachelor, and along the way we learn about what love meant two generations removed from slavery.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

37:48

14 Feb 24

How college footballers led the fight against racism in 1969

It's 1969 at the University of Wyoming, where college football is treated like a second religion. But after racist treatment at an away game, 14 Black players decide to take a stand, and are hit with life-changing consequences. From our play cousins across the pond, our own B.A. Parker hosts the BBC World Service's Amazing Sport Stories: The Black 14. Listen to the rest of the series wherever you get your podcasts.*This episode contains lived experiences which involve the use of strong racist language.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

How college footballers led the fight against racism in 1969

It's 1969 at the University of Wyoming, where college football is treated like a second religion. But after racist treatment at an away game, 14 Black players decide to take a stand, and are hit with life-changing consequences. From our play cousins across the pond, our own B.A. Parker hosts the BBC World Service's Amazing Sport Stories: The Black 14. Listen to the rest of the series wherever you get your podcasts.*This episode contains lived experiences which involve the use of strong racist language.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

32:30

9 Feb 24

What it's like to be a Black woman with bipolar disorder

"Three springs ago, I lost the better part of my mind," Naomi Jackson wrote in an essay for Harper's Magazine. On this episode, Jackson shares her experience with biopolar disorder. She talks about how she's had to decipher what fears stem from her illness and which are backed by the history of racism.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

What it's like to be a Black woman with bipolar disorder

"Three springs ago, I lost the better part of my mind," Naomi Jackson wrote in an essay for Harper's Magazine. On this episode, Jackson shares her experience with biopolar disorder. She talks about how she's had to decipher what fears stem from her illness and which are backed by the history of racism.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

29:18

7 Feb 24

Taylor Swift and the unbearable whiteness of girlhood

Taylor Swift has become an American icon, (and she's got the awards, sales, and accolades to prove it.) With that status, she's often been celebrated as someone whose music is authentically representing the interior lives of young women and adolescent girls. On this episode, we're asking: Why? What is it about Swift's persona — and her fandom — that feels so deeply connected to girlhood? And, because this is Code Switch, what does all of that have to do with race?Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Taylor Swift and the unbearable whiteness of girlhood

Taylor Swift has become an American icon, (and she's got the awards, sales, and accolades to prove it.) With that status, she's often been celebrated as someone whose music is authentically representing the interior lives of young women and adolescent girls. On this episode, we're asking: Why? What is it about Swift's persona — and her fandom — that feels so deeply connected to girlhood? And, because this is Code Switch, what does all of that have to do with race?Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

35:22

31 Jan 24

A former church girl's search for a new spiritual home

After leaving the Pentecostal Church, reporter Jess Alvarenga has been searching for a new spiritual home. They take us on their journey to find spirituality that includes the dining room dungeon of a dominatrix, Buddhist monks taking magic mushrooms and the pulpit of a Pentecostal church. This episode is a collaboration with our friends at LAist Studios. Special thanks to the Ferriss, UC Berkeley's Psychedelic Journalism program for their support.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

A former church girl's search for a new spiritual home

After leaving the Pentecostal Church, reporter Jess Alvarenga has been searching for a new spiritual home. They take us on their journey to find spirituality that includes the dining room dungeon of a dominatrix, Buddhist monks taking magic mushrooms and the pulpit of a Pentecostal church. This episode is a collaboration with our friends at LAist Studios. Special thanks to the Ferriss, UC Berkeley's Psychedelic Journalism program for their support.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

49:01

29 Jan 24

What happens when public housing goes private?

The New York City Housing Authority is the biggest public housing program in the country. But with limited funding to address billions of dollars of outstanding repairs, NYCHA is turning to a controversial plan to change how public housing operates. Fanta Kaba of WNYC's Radio Rookies brings the story of how this will affect residents and the future of housing, as a resident of a NYCHA complex in the Bronx herself.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

What happens when public housing goes private?

The New York City Housing Authority is the biggest public housing program in the country. But with limited funding to address billions of dollars of outstanding repairs, NYCHA is turning to a controversial plan to change how public housing operates. Fanta Kaba of WNYC's Radio Rookies brings the story of how this will affect residents and the future of housing, as a resident of a NYCHA complex in the Bronx herself.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

40:21

24 Jan 24

The women who masterminded the Montgomery Bus Boycott

When people think back to the Montgomery Bus Boycott, they often remember just the bullet points: Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, and voila. But on this episode, we're hearing directly from the many women who organized for months about what exactly it took to make the boycott happen.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The women who masterminded the Montgomery Bus Boycott

When people think back to the Montgomery Bus Boycott, they often remember just the bullet points: Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, and voila. But on this episode, we're hearing directly from the many women who organized for months about what exactly it took to make the boycott happen.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

36:50

17 Jan 24

Everyone wants a piece of Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy

Martin Luther King Jr. was relatively unpopular when he was assassinated. But the way Americans of all political stripes invoke his memory today, you'd think he was held up as a hero. In this episode, we talk about the cooptation of King's legacy with Hajar Yazdiha, author of The Struggle for the People's King: How Politics Transforms the Memory of the Civil Rights Movement.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Everyone wants a piece of Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy

Martin Luther King Jr. was relatively unpopular when he was assassinated. But the way Americans of all political stripes invoke his memory today, you'd think he was held up as a hero. In this episode, we talk about the cooptation of King's legacy with Hajar Yazdiha, author of The Struggle for the People's King: How Politics Transforms the Memory of the Civil Rights Movement.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

30:45

10 Jan 24

67 years after desegregation, Arkansas schools are in the spotlight again

Classrooms in Arkansas were at the center of school desegregation in the 1950s. Now, with the LEARNS Act, they're in the spotlight again. Code Switch comes to you live from Little Rock, Arkansas this week to unpack the latest education bill and how it echoes themes from decades past.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

67 years after desegregation, Arkansas schools are in the spotlight again

Classrooms in Arkansas were at the center of school desegregation in the 1950s. Now, with the LEARNS Act, they're in the spotlight again. Code Switch comes to you live from Little Rock, Arkansas this week to unpack the latest education bill and how it echoes themes from decades past.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

35:41

3 Jan 24

Women of color have always shaped the way Americans eat

For decades, the ingredients, dishes and chefs that are popularized have been filtered through the narrow lens of a food and publishing world dominated by mostly white, mostly male decision-makers. But with more food authors of color taking center stage, is that changing? In this episode, we dive deep into food publishing, past and present.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Women of color have always shaped the way Americans eat

For decades, the ingredients, dishes and chefs that are popularized have been filtered through the narrow lens of a food and publishing world dominated by mostly white, mostly male decision-makers. But with more food authors of color taking center stage, is that changing? In this episode, we dive deep into food publishing, past and present.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

33:48

27 Dec 23

Here are our favorite Code Switch episodes from 2023

It's that time of year again, fam, when we look back at the past 12 months and think, "WHOA, HOW'D THAT GO BY SO FAST?" So we're taking a beat: for this week's episode, each one of us who makes Code Switch is getting on the mic to reflect on — and recommend — an episode we loved from 2023.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Here are our favorite Code Switch episodes from 2023

It's that time of year again, fam, when we look back at the past 12 months and think, "WHOA, HOW'D THAT GO BY SO FAST?" So we're taking a beat: for this week's episode, each one of us who makes Code Switch is getting on the mic to reflect on — and recommend — an episode we loved from 2023.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

30:47

20 Dec 23

Revisiting 'The Color Purple' wars

The Color Purple remake drops this week and to celebrate, we're bringing you this special episode from our play cousins over at Pop Culture Happy Hour. Alice Walker's novel The Color Purple has been adapted a few times. Next week, the new movie The Color Purple hits theaters – it's based on the Tony-winning musical. The 1985 film is remembered as a fan-favorite centering Black women's lives, but this acclaimed adaptation was received quite differently among female viewers and male viewers. Today, we revisit our episode about the original film from our three-part documentary series Screening Ourselves, which explored films through the lens of representation – and misrepresentation – on screen.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Revisiting 'The Color Purple' wars

The Color Purple remake drops this week and to celebrate, we're bringing you this special episode from our play cousins over at Pop Culture Happy Hour. Alice Walker's novel The Color Purple has been adapted a few times. Next week, the new movie The Color Purple hits theaters – it's based on the Tony-winning musical. The 1985 film is remembered as a fan-favorite centering Black women's lives, but this acclaimed adaptation was received quite differently among female viewers and male viewers. Today, we revisit our episode about the original film from our three-part documentary series Screening Ourselves, which explored films through the lens of representation – and misrepresentation – on screen.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

47:18

18 Dec 23

This is what "real self-care" looks like

"You can't meditate yourself out of a 40-hour work week with no childcare and no paid sick days," says Dr. Pooja Lakshmin. But when you're overworked and overwhelmed, what can you do? On this episode, host B.A. Parker asks: What are your options when a bubble bath won't cut it?Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

This is what "real self-care" looks like

"You can't meditate yourself out of a 40-hour work week with no childcare and no paid sick days," says Dr. Pooja Lakshmin. But when you're overworked and overwhelmed, what can you do? On this episode, host B.A. Parker asks: What are your options when a bubble bath won't cut it?Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

36:41

13 Dec 23

Watching 'Renaissance' and what we hear in Beyoncé's silence

We're bringing you an extra treat this week from our play cousins over at It's Been A Minute: In the credits for 'Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé' the Queen Bee makes it clear who is in charge. Written by? Beyoncé. Directed by? Beyoncé. Produced by? Beyoncé. And of course, starring...Beyoncé. For someone who is so in control of their own image, what is spoken and what is unspoken are equally loud.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Watching 'Renaissance' and what we hear in Beyoncé's silence

We're bringing you an extra treat this week from our play cousins over at It's Been A Minute: In the credits for 'Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé' the Queen Bee makes it clear who is in charge. Written by? Beyoncé. Directed by? Beyoncé. Produced by? Beyoncé. And of course, starring...Beyoncé. For someone who is so in control of their own image, what is spoken and what is unspoken are equally loud.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

18:45

11 Dec 23

The world can be painful. But love is possible, too

Kai Cheng Thom is no stranger to misanthropy. There have been stretches of her life where she's felt burdened by anger, isolation, and resentment toward other people. And not without reason. Her identities, especially as a trans woman and a former sex worker, have frequently made her a locus for other people's fear and hatred. But at a certain point, Kai decided to embark on a radical experiment: to see if she could "fall back in love with being human." The result was a series of letters, poems, exercises and prayers that let Kai confront some of the most painful moments of her life, and then try to move past them.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The world can be painful. But love is possible, too

Kai Cheng Thom is no stranger to misanthropy. There have been stretches of her life where she's felt burdened by anger, isolation, and resentment toward other people. And not without reason. Her identities, especially as a trans woman and a former sex worker, have frequently made her a locus for other people's fear and hatred. But at a certain point, Kai decided to embark on a radical experiment: to see if she could "fall back in love with being human." The result was a series of letters, poems, exercises and prayers that let Kai confront some of the most painful moments of her life, and then try to move past them.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

34:53

6 Dec 23

Can you travel the world — ethically?

Traveling is supposed to open your mind and expand your horizons — but what if it doesn't? In her new book Airplane Mode, author Shahnaz Habib suggests that sometimes, traveling does more to enforce our ideas about the world than to upend them. Which means that people with "passport privilege" — AKA, the ability to travel freely from country to country — may end up feeling like the stars of some massive international adventure, while people whose travel is more restricted feel like perpetual interlopers.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Can you travel the world — ethically?

Traveling is supposed to open your mind and expand your horizons — but what if it doesn't? In her new book Airplane Mode, author Shahnaz Habib suggests that sometimes, traveling does more to enforce our ideas about the world than to upend them. Which means that people with "passport privilege" — AKA, the ability to travel freely from country to country — may end up feeling like the stars of some massive international adventure, while people whose travel is more restricted feel like perpetual interlopers.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

31:46

29 Nov 23

A Tale of Two Tribal Nations

The word "reservation" implies "reserved" – as in, this land is reserved for Native Americans. But most reservation land actually isn't owned by tribes. That's true for the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe in northern Minnesota, where the tribe owns just a tiny fraction of its reservation land. But just northwest of Leech Lake is Red Lake: one of the only reservations in the country where the tribe owns all of its land.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

A Tale of Two Tribal Nations

The word "reservation" implies "reserved" – as in, this land is reserved for Native Americans. But most reservation land actually isn't owned by tribes. That's true for the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe in northern Minnesota, where the tribe owns just a tiny fraction of its reservation land. But just northwest of Leech Lake is Red Lake: one of the only reservations in the country where the tribe owns all of its land.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

51:13

22 Nov 23

Who Has The "Right To A Story?"

On this week's Code Switch, we hear from two Palestinian American poets who talk about what it's like to be Palestinian American in the U.S. Fady Joudah and Tariq Luthun say the way their stories are told — or aren't told — has contributed to what they see as an erasure of their identities, and often of their humanity.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Who Has The "Right To A Story?"

On this week's Code Switch, we hear from two Palestinian American poets who talk about what it's like to be Palestinian American in the U.S. Fady Joudah and Tariq Luthun say the way their stories are told — or aren't told — has contributed to what they see as an erasure of their identities, and often of their humanity.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

35:54

15 Nov 23

How does a computer discriminate?

OK, not exactly a computer — more like, the wild array of technologies that inform what we consume on our computers and phones. Because on this episode, we're looking at how AI and race bias intersect. Safiya Noble, a professor at UCLA and the author of the book Algorithms of Oppression talks us through some of the messy issues that arise when algorithms and tech are used as substitutes for good old-fashioned human brains.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

How does a computer discriminate?

OK, not exactly a computer — more like, the wild array of technologies that inform what we consume on our computers and phones. Because on this episode, we're looking at how AI and race bias intersect. Safiya Noble, a professor at UCLA and the author of the book Algorithms of Oppression talks us through some of the messy issues that arise when algorithms and tech are used as substitutes for good old-fashioned human brains.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

33:53

8 Nov 23

All The Only Ones: The Missing Piece Of The Puzzle

We're bringing you something special from our play cousins over at Embedded: the first episode of a three part series about the often neglected history of trans youth in America. We meet Zen, a Mexican-American, New Orleans native, who is coming into their transness, as we learn about an historic trans person, Bernard, from Alabama in the early 1900s, fighting to be seen.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

All The Only Ones: The Missing Piece Of The Puzzle

We're bringing you something special from our play cousins over at Embedded: the first episode of a three part series about the often neglected history of trans youth in America. We meet Zen, a Mexican-American, New Orleans native, who is coming into their transness, as we learn about an historic trans person, Bernard, from Alabama in the early 1900s, fighting to be seen.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

43:57

3 Nov 23

Looking For My People In The Black Punk Scene

More than a decade since B.A. Parker last dabbled in the Black punk scene, she heads to a punk a show, and remembers a question from James Spooner: "What is more liberating than a mosh pit full of smiling Black faces?" Parker talks to James about what it means to be a Black punk, creating the Afropunk Festival and its evolution, and a new anthology he co-edited called Black Punk Now.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Looking For My People In The Black Punk Scene

More than a decade since B.A. Parker last dabbled in the Black punk scene, she heads to a punk a show, and remembers a question from James Spooner: "What is more liberating than a mosh pit full of smiling Black faces?" Parker talks to James about what it means to be a Black punk, creating the Afropunk Festival and its evolution, and a new anthology he co-edited called Black Punk Now.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

31:45

1 Nov 23

Giving up on identity with Ada Limón

Ada Limón is many things: the U.S. Poet Laureate, a recently named MacArthur "Genius," a Latina, a summer person becoming a fall person. But underneath all those outer identities, she's still in search for the "original animal at [her] core."Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Giving up on identity with Ada Limón

Ada Limón is many things: the U.S. Poet Laureate, a recently named MacArthur "Genius," a Latina, a summer person becoming a fall person. But underneath all those outer identities, she's still in search for the "original animal at [her] core."Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

35:19

25 Oct 23

The agony and ecstasy of parenting with Hari Kondabolu

Being a new parent is exhausting at the best of times. There are diapers to change, bottles to fill, screaming sobs to quiet down. But beyond all the routine chores that come with parenting, there are the larger social questions of how to raise a kid in a complex, unjust, and ever-changing world.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The agony and ecstasy of parenting with Hari Kondabolu

Being a new parent is exhausting at the best of times. There are diapers to change, bottles to fill, screaming sobs to quiet down. But beyond all the routine chores that come with parenting, there are the larger social questions of how to raise a kid in a complex, unjust, and ever-changing world.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

27:43

18 Oct 23

What does it mean to be good?

In her memoir Rivermouth, author Alejandra Oliva recounts her experiences working as a translator and interpreter for people seeking asylum in the U.S. But as she navigates the world of immigration advocacy, she starts to grapple with the question of what it means to help, and what it means to "want to star in the helping."Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

What does it mean to be good?

In her memoir Rivermouth, author Alejandra Oliva recounts her experiences working as a translator and interpreter for people seeking asylum in the U.S. But as she navigates the world of immigration advocacy, she starts to grapple with the question of what it means to help, and what it means to "want to star in the helping."Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

32:07

11 Oct 23

Student activists are fighting big coal, and winning

South Baltimore has some of the most polluted air in the country. Local teenagers are fighting polluters back, and slowly building toward climate justice.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Student activists are fighting big coal, and winning

South Baltimore has some of the most polluted air in the country. Local teenagers are fighting polluters back, and slowly building toward climate justice.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

38:37

4 Oct 23

Probation and parole — the under-researched arms of mass incarceration

In the past decade, the problem of mass incarceration has gotten increased attention and thought. But in his new book, Mass Supervision, Vincent Schiraldi argues that in those conversations, people often neglect to think about probation and parole — two of the biggest feeders to the U.S.'s prison population. These systems surveil close to four million Americans, which Schiraldi says is both a huge waste of resources and a massive human rights violation. On this episode, we're talking to Schiraldi about how probation and parole came to be, why they're no longer working as they were once supposed to, and why he thinks they might need to be done away with entirely.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Probation and parole — the under-researched arms of mass incarceration

In the past decade, the problem of mass incarceration has gotten increased attention and thought. But in his new book, Mass Supervision, Vincent Schiraldi argues that in those conversations, people often neglect to think about probation and parole — two of the biggest feeders to the U.S.'s prison population. These systems surveil close to four million Americans, which Schiraldi says is both a huge waste of resources and a massive human rights violation. On this episode, we're talking to Schiraldi about how probation and parole came to be, why they're no longer working as they were once supposed to, and why he thinks they might need to be done away with entirely.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

36:01

27 Sep 23

'I Can Die For This Country, But I Can't Learn'

In June, the Supreme Court banned affirmative action at colleges and universities across the country, with one glaring exception: military academies. On this episode, we're asking — why?Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

'I Can Die For This Country, But I Can't Learn'

In June, the Supreme Court banned affirmative action at colleges and universities across the country, with one glaring exception: military academies. On this episode, we're asking — why?Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

37:19

20 Sep 23

Remembering and unremembering, from Kigali to Nashville

For centuries, the idea of the "American Dream" has been a powerful narrative for many immigrant communities. But for just as long, many African Americans have known that the American Dream was never meant to include them. So what happens when those beliefs collide? Today ten percent of the Black population in the U.S. are immigrants, and many grapple with this question. In this episode, we'll hear from Claude Gatebuke, who moved from Kigali to Nashville as a teenager in the wake of the Rwandan genocide. He talks about how the move to the U.S. likely saved his life, while simultaneously challenging his belief that he could have a full, meaningful future as a Black man.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Remembering and unremembering, from Kigali to Nashville

For centuries, the idea of the "American Dream" has been a powerful narrative for many immigrant communities. But for just as long, many African Americans have known that the American Dream was never meant to include them. So what happens when those beliefs collide? Today ten percent of the Black population in the U.S. are immigrants, and many grapple with this question. In this episode, we'll hear from Claude Gatebuke, who moved from Kigali to Nashville as a teenager in the wake of the Rwandan genocide. He talks about how the move to the U.S. likely saved his life, while simultaneously challenging his belief that he could have a full, meaningful future as a Black man.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

38:51

13 Sep 23

Fall football — or the fall of football?

This week, the NFL is gearing up for the start of its 104th season. But as this new chapter begins, we're looking at some of the league's old problems with race and diversity — ones that have implications for the coaches, the players, and the fans.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Fall football — or the fall of football?

This week, the NFL is gearing up for the start of its 104th season. But as this new chapter begins, we're looking at some of the league's old problems with race and diversity — ones that have implications for the coaches, the players, and the fans.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

34:13

6 Sep 23

Bad Bunny, Reggaeton, and Resistance

Bad Bunny, the genre- and gender norm-defying Puerto Rican rapper, is one of the biggest music stars on the planet. He has also provided a global megaphone for Puerto Rican discontent. In this episode, we take a look at how Bad Bunny became the unlikely voice of resistance in Puerto Rico. This episode originally aired in January 2023.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Bad Bunny, Reggaeton, and Resistance

Bad Bunny, the genre- and gender norm-defying Puerto Rican rapper, is one of the biggest music stars on the planet. He has also provided a global megaphone for Puerto Rican discontent. In this episode, we take a look at how Bad Bunny became the unlikely voice of resistance in Puerto Rico. This episode originally aired in January 2023.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

38:29

30 Aug 23

What Makes A Good Race Joke?

When a comedian of color makes a joke, is it always about race, even if it's not about race? Code Switch talks to comedians Aparna Nancherla, Brian Bahe and Maz Jobrani about how and why race makes an appearance in their jokes. Plus, one of our own reveals her early-career dabbling in comedy.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

What Makes A Good Race Joke?

When a comedian of color makes a joke, is it always about race, even if it's not about race? Code Switch talks to comedians Aparna Nancherla, Brian Bahe and Maz Jobrani about how and why race makes an appearance in their jokes. Plus, one of our own reveals her early-career dabbling in comedy.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

27:09

23 Aug 23

Family, fortune, and the fight for Osage headrights

When Richard J. Lonsinger's birth mother passed away in 2010, he wasn't included in the distribution of her estate. Feeling hurt and excluded, he asked a judge to re-open her estate, to give him a part of one particular asset: an Osage headright. But the more Lonsinger learned about the history of the headrights, the more he began to wonder who was really entitled to them, and where he fit in.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Family, fortune, and the fight for Osage headrights

When Richard J. Lonsinger's birth mother passed away in 2010, he wasn't included in the distribution of her estate. Feeling hurt and excluded, he asked a judge to re-open her estate, to give him a part of one particular asset: an Osage headright. But the more Lonsinger learned about the history of the headrights, the more he began to wonder who was really entitled to them, and where he fit in.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

23:57

16 Aug 23

How Hip-Hop Fights The Power — And Also Serves It

For hip-hop's not-official-but-kind-of-official 50th birthday, we dig into its many contradictions. From the legend of the South Bronx block party where hip-hop was born to the multi-billion-dollar global industry and tool for U.S. diplomacy it has become, America's relationship with hip-hop — and the people who make it — is complicated.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

How Hip-Hop Fights The Power — And Also Serves It

For hip-hop's not-official-but-kind-of-official 50th birthday, we dig into its many contradictions. From the legend of the South Bronx block party where hip-hop was born to the multi-billion-dollar global industry and tool for U.S. diplomacy it has become, America's relationship with hip-hop — and the people who make it — is complicated.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

34:23

9 Aug 23

Rolling the dice on race in Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons is one of the most popular tabletop role-playing games of all time. But it has also helped cement some ideas about how we create and define race in fantasy — and in the tangible world. This week we revisit a deep dive into that game. What we find about racial stereotypes and colonialist supremacy is illuminating.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Rolling the dice on race in Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons is one of the most popular tabletop role-playing games of all time. But it has also helped cement some ideas about how we create and define race in fantasy — and in the tangible world. This week we revisit a deep dive into that game. What we find about racial stereotypes and colonialist supremacy is illuminating.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

33:28

2 Aug 23

Code Switch's beach reads — no beach required

There are race books, and there are beach reads, and never the twain shall meet. You know that old truism, right? Well, this is Code Switch (the show about race and identity and romance and drama from NPR), and we weren't willing to accept that dichotomy. So on this episode, we're bringing you a bouquet of our favorite summer thrillers, love stories, memoirs and more — all of which have something to say about race.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Code Switch's beach reads — no beach required

There are race books, and there are beach reads, and never the twain shall meet. You know that old truism, right? Well, this is Code Switch (the show about race and identity and romance and drama from NPR), and we weren't willing to accept that dichotomy. So on this episode, we're bringing you a bouquet of our favorite summer thrillers, love stories, memoirs and more — all of which have something to say about race.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

34:19

26 Jul 23

This Conspiracy Soup Contains Bugs — And Racism

Gene Demby and NPR's Huo Jingnan dive into a conspiracy theory about how "global elites" are forcing people to eat bugs. And no huge surprise — the theory's popularity is largely about its loudest proponents' racist fear-mongering.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

This Conspiracy Soup Contains Bugs — And Racism

Gene Demby and NPR's Huo Jingnan dive into a conspiracy theory about how "global elites" are forcing people to eat bugs. And no huge surprise — the theory's popularity is largely about its loudest proponents' racist fear-mongering.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

33:09

19 Jul 23

Is "home" still home after 30 years away?

Brian de los Santos always thought of Mexico as his "home" — despite not having been able to return to his country of birth for three decades. But when he finally got a chance to visit, his conception of what home was and where he belonged totally shifted.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Is "home" still home after 30 years away?

Brian de los Santos always thought of Mexico as his "home" — despite not having been able to return to his country of birth for three decades. But when he finally got a chance to visit, his conception of what home was and where he belonged totally shifted.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

36:44

12 Jul 23

What Happens After A Racist Massacre In Your Neighborhood?

This week, we're sharing the first episode of "Buffalo Extreme," a three-part series from our play cousins at NPR's Embedded. The series follows a Black cheer squad, their moms and their coaches in the year after the racist massacre at the Jefferson Street Tops in Buffalo, New York, just blocks from their gym. NPR hands the mic to the girls and women in that community as they navigate the complicated path to recovery in the year after.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

What Happens After A Racist Massacre In Your Neighborhood?

This week, we're sharing the first episode of "Buffalo Extreme," a three-part series from our play cousins at NPR's Embedded. The series follows a Black cheer squad, their moms and their coaches in the year after the racist massacre at the Jefferson Street Tops in Buffalo, New York, just blocks from their gym. NPR hands the mic to the girls and women in that community as they navigate the complicated path to recovery in the year after.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

32:47

5 Jul 23

Honoring My Enslaved Ancestors, Part Two

In the second of two episodes, Code Switch co-host B.A. Parker is figuring out what kind of descendant she wants to be. Parker and her mom decide to go back to the plantation where their ancestors were enslaved, because despite the circumstances of slavery, this is where their family began.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Honoring My Enslaved Ancestors, Part Two

In the second of two episodes, Code Switch co-host B.A. Parker is figuring out what kind of descendant she wants to be. Parker and her mom decide to go back to the plantation where their ancestors were enslaved, because despite the circumstances of slavery, this is where their family began.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

33:44

28 Jun 23

Honoring My Enslaved Ancestors, Part One

Code Switch co-host B.A. Parker digs into what it means to maintain the legacy of her ancestors. In part one of two episodes, Parker goes to a symposium for descendants of slavery and meets people who, like her, are caretakers of "culturally significant historical places."Note: A technical error with a previous version of this episode resulted in an audio mix that may have been difficult to listen to. Please check out the new mix!Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Honoring My Enslaved Ancestors, Part One

Code Switch co-host B.A. Parker digs into what it means to maintain the legacy of her ancestors. In part one of two episodes, Parker goes to a symposium for descendants of slavery and meets people who, like her, are caretakers of "culturally significant historical places."Note: A technical error with a previous version of this episode resulted in an audio mix that may have been difficult to listen to. Please check out the new mix!Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

33:44

21 Jun 23

Going to a white church in a Black body

How do you participate in a faith practice that has a rough track record with racism? That's what our play-cousin J.C. Howard gets into on this week's episode of Code Switch. He talks to us about Black Christians who, like him for a time, found their spiritual homes in white evangelical churches.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Going to a white church in a Black body

How do you participate in a faith practice that has a rough track record with racism? That's what our play-cousin J.C. Howard gets into on this week's episode of Code Switch. He talks to us about Black Christians who, like him for a time, found their spiritual homes in white evangelical churches.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

38:17

14 Jun 23

Spilling the "T" with comedian D'Lo

On this week's Code Switch, producer Kumari Devarajan finds her demographic clone in actor and comedian D'Lo. Kumari found that when you share so much in common with a stranger who is putting their business on front street for the world to see, it can feel like they're sharing your secrets, too.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Spilling the "T" with comedian D'Lo

On this week's Code Switch, producer Kumari Devarajan finds her demographic clone in actor and comedian D'Lo. Kumari found that when you share so much in common with a stranger who is putting their business on front street for the world to see, it can feel like they're sharing your secrets, too.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

30:18

7 Jun 23

Exclusion, resilience and the Chinese American experience on 'Mott Street'

Ava Chin's family has been in the U.S. for generations — but Ava was disheartened to learn that so much of what they had experienced was totally absent from American history books. So she embarked on a journey to learn more about her ancestors, and in doing so, to work toward correcting the historical record for all Americans.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Exclusion, resilience and the Chinese American experience on 'Mott Street'

Ava Chin's family has been in the U.S. for generations — but Ava was disheartened to learn that so much of what they had experienced was totally absent from American history books. So she embarked on a journey to learn more about her ancestors, and in doing so, to work toward correcting the historical record for all Americans.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

30:12

31 May 23

Across the ocean: a Japanese American story of war and homecoming

One of the most pivotal moments in Japanese American history was when the U.S. government uprooted more than 100,000 people of Japanese ancestry and forced them into incarceration camps. But there is another, less-known story about the tens of thousands of Japanese Americans who were living in Japan during World War II — and whose lives uprooted in a very different way.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Across the ocean: a Japanese American story of war and homecoming

One of the most pivotal moments in Japanese American history was when the U.S. government uprooted more than 100,000 people of Japanese ancestry and forced them into incarceration camps. But there is another, less-known story about the tens of thousands of Japanese Americans who were living in Japan during World War II — and whose lives uprooted in a very different way.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

34:33

24 May 23

The implications of the case against ICWA

The Supreme Court is about to decide on a case arguing that the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) discriminates against white foster parents. Journalist Rebecca Nagle explains how this decision could reverse centuries of U.S. law protecting the rights of Indigenous nations. "Native kids have been the tip of the spear in attacks on tribal sovereignty for generations."Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The implications of the case against ICWA

The Supreme Court is about to decide on a case arguing that the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) discriminates against white foster parents. Journalist Rebecca Nagle explains how this decision could reverse centuries of U.S. law protecting the rights of Indigenous nations. "Native kids have been the tip of the spear in attacks on tribal sovereignty for generations."Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

32:33

17 May 23

Naomi Jackson talks 'losing and finding my mind'

"Three springs ago, I lost the better part of my mind," Naomi Jackson wrote in an essay for Harper's Magazine. On this episode, Jackson reads from that essay about her experience with mental illness, including how she has had to decipher which of her fears stem from her illness and which are backed by the history of racism.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Naomi Jackson talks 'losing and finding my mind'

"Three springs ago, I lost the better part of my mind," Naomi Jackson wrote in an essay for Harper's Magazine. On this episode, Jackson reads from that essay about her experience with mental illness, including how she has had to decipher which of her fears stem from her illness and which are backed by the history of racism.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

30:03

10 May 23

K-Pop's Surprising B(l)ackstory

K-pop disrupted pop culture in South Korea in the early 1990s, and later found fans around the world. Vivian Yoon was one of those fans, growing up thousands of miles away in Koreatown, Los Angeles. This week, we're sharing an episode of In K-Pop Dreaming, the second season of LAist's California Love podcast. In it, Yoon takes listeners on a journey to learn about the history behind the music that had defined her childhood.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

K-Pop's Surprising B(l)ackstory

K-pop disrupted pop culture in South Korea in the early 1990s, and later found fans around the world. Vivian Yoon was one of those fans, growing up thousands of miles away in Koreatown, Los Angeles. This week, we're sharing an episode of In K-Pop Dreaming, the second season of LAist's California Love podcast. In it, Yoon takes listeners on a journey to learn about the history behind the music that had defined her childhood.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

45:06

3 May 23

The Fallout of a Callout

In 2017, comedian Hari Kondabolu called out Hollywood's portrayals of South Asians with his documentary The Problem With Apu. The film was also a criticism of comedian Hank Azaria, who is white, for voicing the Indian character on The Simpsons. On this episode, Hari and Hank sit down to talk publicly for the first time about that callout and everything that has gone down since.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The Fallout of a Callout

In 2017, comedian Hari Kondabolu called out Hollywood's portrayals of South Asians with his documentary The Problem With Apu. The film was also a criticism of comedian Hank Azaria, who is white, for voicing the Indian character on The Simpsons. On this episode, Hari and Hank sit down to talk publicly for the first time about that callout and everything that has gone down since.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

28:42

26 Apr 23

Self-Care Laid Bare

"You can't meditate yourself out of a 40-hour work week with no childcare and no paid sick days," says Dr. Pooja Lakshmin. But when you're overworked and overwhelmed, what actually can you do? On this episode, host B.A. Parker asks: What are your options when a bubble bath won't cut it?Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Self-Care Laid Bare

"You can't meditate yourself out of a 40-hour work week with no childcare and no paid sick days," says Dr. Pooja Lakshmin. But when you're overworked and overwhelmed, what actually can you do? On this episode, host B.A. Parker asks: What are your options when a bubble bath won't cut it?Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

35:29

19 Apr 23

W2s and WTFs

You finally get through the confusing, stressful work of doing your taxes only to hear back from the IRS: you're being audited. And it turns out that your race plays a big role in whether you get that letter, how much you might owe the IRS, which tax breaks you can get, and even which benefits you can claim.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

W2s and WTFs

You finally get through the confusing, stressful work of doing your taxes only to hear back from the IRS: you're being audited. And it turns out that your race plays a big role in whether you get that letter, how much you might owe the IRS, which tax breaks you can get, and even which benefits you can claim.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

30:05

12 Apr 23

Women in hip-hop push back against the male gaze

The male gaze objectifies, consumes and shames people for not fitting into a mold. This week, we're looking at how that affects women in hip-hop. Our play cousins at Louder Than A Riot bring us the voices of artists who won't let the male gaze dominate their careers, stories and personal lives.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Women in hip-hop push back against the male gaze

The male gaze objectifies, consumes and shames people for not fitting into a mold. This week, we're looking at how that affects women in hip-hop. Our play cousins at Louder Than A Riot bring us the voices of artists who won't let the male gaze dominate their careers, stories and personal lives.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

34:08

5 Apr 23

The Tricky Obligations of Utang Na Loob

Utang na loob is the Filipino concept of an eternal debt to others, be it family or friends, who do a favor for you. In this episode from 2022, we break down this "debt of the inner soul" — and discover a surprising side to this pre-colonial value.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The Tricky Obligations of Utang Na Loob

Utang na loob is the Filipino concept of an eternal debt to others, be it family or friends, who do a favor for you. In this episode from 2022, we break down this "debt of the inner soul" — and discover a surprising side to this pre-colonial value.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

38:55

29 Mar 23

The Women Behind the Montgomery Bus Boycott

We've all heard about Rosa Parks and her crucial role in the Montgomery bus boycott. But Parks was just one of the many women who organized for years to make that boycott a reality. In this episode, the women behind the boycott tell their own story.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The Women Behind the Montgomery Bus Boycott

We've all heard about Rosa Parks and her crucial role in the Montgomery bus boycott. But Parks was just one of the many women who organized for years to make that boycott a reality. In this episode, the women behind the boycott tell their own story.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

35:02

22 Mar 23

Whose Nightmares Are We Telling? How Horror Has Evolved for People of Color

Host B.A. Parker talks to Jasmin Savoy Brown, of the recently-released Scream 6, about playing a queer Black girl who lives. And film critics Richard Newby and Mallory Yu discuss how horror movies can actually help us empathize with each otherLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Whose Nightmares Are We Telling? How Horror Has Evolved for People of Color

Host B.A. Parker talks to Jasmin Savoy Brown, of the recently-released Scream 6, about playing a queer Black girl who lives. And film critics Richard Newby and Mallory Yu discuss how horror movies can actually help us empathize with each otherLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

33:53

15 Mar 23

The Women Who Influence How America Eats

For decades, the ingredients, dishes and chefs that are popularized have been filtered through the narrow lens of a food and publishing world dominated by mostly white, mostly male decision-makers. But with more food authors of color taking center stage, is that changing? In this episode, we dive deep into food publishing, past and present.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The Women Who Influence How America Eats

For decades, the ingredients, dishes and chefs that are popularized have been filtered through the narrow lens of a food and publishing world dominated by mostly white, mostly male decision-makers. But with more food authors of color taking center stage, is that changing? In this episode, we dive deep into food publishing, past and present.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

32:26

8 Mar 23

This Racism Is Killing Me Inside

This week, we revisit an episode from 2018 that looks into how discrimination not only degrades your health, but can cost you your life. We hear the story of Shalon Irving, who died after giving birth to her daughter. Black women like her are 243 percent more likely than white women to die of pregnancy- or childbirth-related causes in the United States. And the latest evidence further supports that this gap is caused by the "weathering" effects of racism.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

This Racism Is Killing Me Inside

This week, we revisit an episode from 2018 that looks into how discrimination not only degrades your health, but can cost you your life. We hear the story of Shalon Irving, who died after giving birth to her daughter. Black women like her are 243 percent more likely than white women to die of pregnancy- or childbirth-related causes in the United States. And the latest evidence further supports that this gap is caused by the "weathering" effects of racism.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

29:18

1 Mar 23

Black History's Family Tree

Brett Woodson Bailey grew up knowing he was the descendant of "the father of Black history," Carter G. Woodson. He also grew up with the support and guidance of his "cousin" Craig Woodson, who is white. In this week's Code Switch, what it means when a Black family and a white family share a last name, and how the Black and white Woodsons became family.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Black History's Family Tree

Brett Woodson Bailey grew up knowing he was the descendant of "the father of Black history," Carter G. Woodson. He also grew up with the support and guidance of his "cousin" Craig Woodson, who is white. In this week's Code Switch, what it means when a Black family and a white family share a last name, and how the Black and white Woodsons became family.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

35:07

22 Feb 23

The Merengue War

From the dance floors of weddings and bar mitzvahs to the Billboard Hot 100, chances are, you've enjoyed some merengue music – think about the 1998 Puerto Rican hit 'Suavemente,' which topped charts across the globe. But did you know that merengue's path to global fame started in the Dominican Republic, before it made its way to Puerto Rico? In this episode, we hand the mic to our friends at La Brega to unpack the story behind that famous merengue single and how it sums up a complicated and tense history of cultural exchange.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The Merengue War

From the dance floors of weddings and bar mitzvahs to the Billboard Hot 100, chances are, you've enjoyed some merengue music – think about the 1998 Puerto Rican hit 'Suavemente,' which topped charts across the globe. But did you know that merengue's path to global fame started in the Dominican Republic, before it made its way to Puerto Rico? In this episode, we hand the mic to our friends at La Brega to unpack the story behind that famous merengue single and how it sums up a complicated and tense history of cultural exchange.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

43:02

15 Feb 23

Reckoning With The NFL's Rooney Rule

The large majority of NFL players are people of color. The coaches on the sidelines? Not so much. In this episode, we're looking at the NFL's famous diversity plan and what it might tells us about why so many corporate initiatives like it don't work.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Reckoning With The NFL's Rooney Rule

The large majority of NFL players are people of color. The coaches on the sidelines? Not so much. In this episode, we're looking at the NFL's famous diversity plan and what it might tells us about why so many corporate initiatives like it don't work.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

34:41

8 Feb 23

Celebrating Lunar New Year In A Time Of Grief

In this week's episode, we dive into the traditions and stories that shape Lunar New Year, and why violence and tragedy in the U.S. on the eve of the holiday cuts deep for celebrants. We also visit Monterey Park, California, and talk to its Asian American residents and neighbors about what the "ethnoburb" means to them beyond the shooting on January 21.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Celebrating Lunar New Year In A Time Of Grief

In this week's episode, we dive into the traditions and stories that shape Lunar New Year, and why violence and tragedy in the U.S. on the eve of the holiday cuts deep for celebrants. We also visit Monterey Park, California, and talk to its Asian American residents and neighbors about what the "ethnoburb" means to them beyond the shooting on January 21.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

35:17

1 Feb 23

The Original Rainbow Coalition

In this episode we turn to late 1960s Chicago, when three unlikely groups came together to form a coalition based on interracial solidarity. It's hard to imagine this kind of collaboration today, but we dove into how a group of Black radicals, Confederate flag-waving white Southerners, and street-gang-turned-activist Puerto Ricans found common ground.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The Original Rainbow Coalition

In this episode we turn to late 1960s Chicago, when three unlikely groups came together to form a coalition based on interracial solidarity. It's hard to imagine this kind of collaboration today, but we dove into how a group of Black radicals, Confederate flag-waving white Southerners, and street-gang-turned-activist Puerto Ricans found common ground.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

24:07

25 Jan 23

Bad Bunny, Reggaeton, and Resistance

Bad Bunny, the genre- and gender norm-defying Puerto Rican rapper, is one of the biggest music stars on the planet. He has also provided a global megaphone for Puerto Rican discontent. In this episode, we take a look at how Bad Bunny became the unlikely voice of resistance in Puerto Rico.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Bad Bunny, Reggaeton, and Resistance

Bad Bunny, the genre- and gender norm-defying Puerto Rican rapper, is one of the biggest music stars on the planet. He has also provided a global megaphone for Puerto Rican discontent. In this episode, we take a look at how Bad Bunny became the unlikely voice of resistance in Puerto Rico.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

39:05

18 Jan 23

Meet Lori Lizarraga—Our Newest Co-host

From the world of local TV news, meet Code Switch's newest co-host, Lori Lizarraga! Before she was born, her mother had the nickname "Lori" ready for her, even though her legal name is Laura. The story behind why starts more than a decade before she was born, when Lori's mom came to the U.S. as a kid and had to make a difficult decision.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Meet Lori Lizarraga—Our Newest Co-host

From the world of local TV news, meet Code Switch's newest co-host, Lori Lizarraga! Before she was born, her mother had the nickname "Lori" ready for her, even though her legal name is Laura. The story behind why starts more than a decade before she was born, when Lori's mom came to the U.S. as a kid and had to make a difficult decision.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

27:08

11 Jan 23

Revisiting 'How The Other Half Eats'

How do race and class affect the way we eat? What does it mean to "eat like a white person?" And if food inequality isn't about "food deserts," what is it really about? We're getting into all those questions and more with Priya Fielding-Singh, author of the book, How the Other Half Eats.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Revisiting 'How The Other Half Eats'

How do race and class affect the way we eat? What does it mean to "eat like a white person?" And if food inequality isn't about "food deserts," what is it really about? We're getting into all those questions and more with Priya Fielding-Singh, author of the book, How the Other Half Eats.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

32:20

4 Jan 23

How cumbia has shaped music across Latin America

Whether you're from Ushuaia or East Los Angeles, you've likely heard cumbia blaring from a stereo. From our play friends at NPR's Alt.Latino, Jasmine Garsd and Felix Contreras talk about their common love of the musical backbone of Latin America.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

How cumbia has shaped music across Latin America

Whether you're from Ushuaia or East Los Angeles, you've likely heard cumbia blaring from a stereo. From our play friends at NPR's Alt.Latino, Jasmine Garsd and Felix Contreras talk about their common love of the musical backbone of Latin America.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

29:42

28 Dec 22

Unlocking family history in 'Before Me'

It wasn't until Lisa Phu had her own child that she started unlocking her mother's history. In her new 5-part series called Before Me, Lisa asks her mother, Lan, the questions she should have asked years ago. Lisa tells us what she learned in getting to know Lan in this way.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Unlocking family history in 'Before Me'

It wasn't until Lisa Phu had her own child that she started unlocking her mother's history. In her new 5-part series called Before Me, Lisa asks her mother, Lan, the questions she should have asked years ago. Lisa tells us what she learned in getting to know Lan in this way.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

45:37

21 Dec 22

What We Watched in 2022

There are a lot of TV shows to watch out there - so the Code Switch team isn't trying to bring you a list of the "best." Instead, we're chatting about the shows we watched this year that we loved, and gave us something bigger to think about, from Abbott Elementary to Bel-Air.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

What We Watched in 2022

There are a lot of TV shows to watch out there - so the Code Switch team isn't trying to bring you a list of the "best." Instead, we're chatting about the shows we watched this year that we loved, and gave us something bigger to think about, from Abbott Elementary to Bel-Air.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

29:34

14 Dec 22

Why some Republicans want to narrow who counts as Black

Republican officials in Louisiana want to change how Black people are counted in voting maps. If their plan is successful, it could shrink the power of Black voters across the country — and further gut the Voting Rights Act.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Why some Republicans want to narrow who counts as Black

Republican officials in Louisiana want to change how Black people are counted in voting maps. If their plan is successful, it could shrink the power of Black voters across the country — and further gut the Voting Rights Act.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

35:26

7 Dec 22

Notes from America: 'Blackness (Un)interrupted'

So many of our perceptions of race have to do with color. How does that change if you've lived in both Black and white skin? Our Executive Producer Veralyn Williams, explores this question in conversation with her sister, Lovis. Lovis has vitiligo, a skin disease that causes loss of skin color in patches.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Notes from America: 'Blackness (Un)interrupted'

So many of our perceptions of race have to do with color. How does that change if you've lived in both Black and white skin? Our Executive Producer Veralyn Williams, explores this question in conversation with her sister, Lovis. Lovis has vitiligo, a skin disease that causes loss of skin color in patches.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

29:45

30 Nov 22

A lost bird, a found treasure

Bear Carrillo grew up knowing only a few details about his birth parents: when he was born they were university students, the first from their tribes to go to college, and they just couldn't afford to keep him. Decades later, a DNA test kit uncovers a new story.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

A lost bird, a found treasure

Bear Carrillo grew up knowing only a few details about his birth parents: when he was born they were university students, the first from their tribes to go to college, and they just couldn't afford to keep him. Decades later, a DNA test kit uncovers a new story.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

34:28

23 Nov 22

Live from Chicago: What makes a city home?

This episode is excerpted from the Code Switch Live show at the Studebaker Theater in Chicago, featuring special guests José Olivarez, Sultan Salahuddin, Diallo Riddle and Adriana Cardona-Maguidad to talk all about Chicago. Musical guest KAINA provides music!Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Live from Chicago: What makes a city home?

This episode is excerpted from the Code Switch Live show at the Studebaker Theater in Chicago, featuring special guests José Olivarez, Sultan Salahuddin, Diallo Riddle and Adriana Cardona-Maguidad to talk all about Chicago. Musical guest KAINA provides music!Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

50:08

16 Nov 22

Throughline: How Korean culture went global

From BTS to Squid Game to high-end beauty standards, South Korea reigns as a global exporter of pop culture and entertainment. How does a country go from a war-decimated state just 70 years ago, to a major driver of global soft power? Through war, occupation, economic crisis, and national strategy, comes a global phenomenon - the Korean wave. This is an episode from our play cousins Throughline and originally aired September 8th, 2022.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Throughline: How Korean culture went global

From BTS to Squid Game to high-end beauty standards, South Korea reigns as a global exporter of pop culture and entertainment. How does a country go from a war-decimated state just 70 years ago, to a major driver of global soft power? Through war, occupation, economic crisis, and national strategy, comes a global phenomenon - the Korean wave. This is an episode from our play cousins Throughline and originally aired September 8th, 2022.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

48:05

9 Nov 22

Code Switch fam! Say hello to It's Been a Minute's new host, Brittany Luse!

Code Switch's host B.A. Parker, introduces us to our play cousin It's Been a Minute's new voice, Brittany Luse! In Brittany's first two episodes she talks about the representation and contextual history of Black women in politics and Hollywood. You can follow us on Twitter and Instagram @NPRCodeSwitch, Parker @aparkusfarce, and the new host of It's Been A Minute Brittany Luse @BMLuse!Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Code Switch fam! Say hello to It's Been a Minute's new host, Brittany Luse!

Code Switch's host B.A. Parker, introduces us to our play cousin It's Been a Minute's new voice, Brittany Luse! In Brittany's first two episodes she talks about the representation and contextual history of Black women in politics and Hollywood. You can follow us on Twitter and Instagram @NPRCodeSwitch, Parker @aparkusfarce, and the new host of It's Been A Minute Brittany Luse @BMLuse!Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

34:13

2 Nov 22

Fear In An Age Of Real Life Horror, Revisited

It's that time of year again: celebrations of the macabre hit a little too close to home and brush up against our country's very dark past. We talk about navigating fake horror amid what's actually terrifying and how scaring ourselves, on purpose, can help us. This episode first ran in October 2019.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Fear In An Age Of Real Life Horror, Revisited

It's that time of year again: celebrations of the macabre hit a little too close to home and brush up against our country's very dark past. We talk about navigating fake horror amid what's actually terrifying and how scaring ourselves, on purpose, can help us. This episode first ran in October 2019.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

24:39

26 Oct 22

Skeletons in the closet, revisited

More than 10,000 Native human remains are currently sitting in a storage facility in a Maryland suburb. This week, how one small tribe is fighting to get them back to Florida. This episode originally aired October 13, 2021.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Skeletons in the closet, revisited

More than 10,000 Native human remains are currently sitting in a storage facility in a Maryland suburb. This week, how one small tribe is fighting to get them back to Florida. This episode originally aired October 13, 2021.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

33:57

19 Oct 22

Black reality in a world of fantasy

Why build a fantasy world that still has racism? B.A. Parker moderates a discussion on Black science fiction and fantasy with authors Tochi Onyebuchi and Leslye Penelope at the National Book Festival.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Black reality in a world of fantasy

Why build a fantasy world that still has racism? B.A. Parker moderates a discussion on Black science fiction and fantasy with authors Tochi Onyebuchi and Leslye Penelope at the National Book Festival.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

29:15

12 Oct 22

Omar Apollo on making music, being queer and Latinx

NPR's Alt.Latino gets a reboot, and for its first episode, they speak with R&B darling Omar Apollo. Apollo shares what it's been like being a role model for queer Latinx kids and the pressure of having to watch what he says now that he's famous.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Omar Apollo on making music, being queer and Latinx

NPR's Alt.Latino gets a reboot, and for its first episode, they speak with R&B darling Omar Apollo. Apollo shares what it's been like being a role model for queer Latinx kids and the pressure of having to watch what he says now that he's famous.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

29:13

5 Oct 22

Gaming out race in Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons is one of the most popular tabletop role-playing games of all time. But it has also helped cement some ideas about how we create and define race in fantasy — and in the tangible world. We take a deep dive into that game, and what we find about racial stereotypes and colonialist supremacy is illuminating.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Gaming out race in Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons is one of the most popular tabletop role-playing games of all time. But it has also helped cement some ideas about how we create and define race in fantasy — and in the tangible world. We take a deep dive into that game, and what we find about racial stereotypes and colonialist supremacy is illuminating.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

34:12

28 Sep 22

In 1962, segregationists set up "Reverse Freedom Rides"

Recently, Republican governors have been sending migrants from the southern border to cities they deem more liberal under false pretenses. The political stunt echoes what segregationists 1962 called Reverse Freedom Rides. This episode originally aired in December 2019.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

In 1962, segregationists set up "Reverse Freedom Rides"

Recently, Republican governors have been sending migrants from the southern border to cities they deem more liberal under false pretenses. The political stunt echoes what segregationists 1962 called Reverse Freedom Rides. This episode originally aired in December 2019.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

39:38

21 Sep 22

Can therapy solve racism?

Nearly 20% of Americans turned to therapy in 2020. That had us wondering: What exactly can therapy accomplish? Today, we're sharing the stories of two Latinx people who tried to use therapy to understand and combat anti-Blackness in their own lives.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Can therapy solve racism?

Nearly 20% of Americans turned to therapy in 2020. That had us wondering: What exactly can therapy accomplish? Today, we're sharing the stories of two Latinx people who tried to use therapy to understand and combat anti-Blackness in their own lives.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

35:37

14 Sep 22

How the Pell Grant helped POCs go to college

The cost of college has been on everyone's minds, especially with student debt cancellation. Pell Grants are one way many low income students have managed to pay for college. And they exist in large part because of one Black woman who often goes unmentioned.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

How the Pell Grant helped POCs go to college

The cost of college has been on everyone's minds, especially with student debt cancellation. Pell Grants are one way many low income students have managed to pay for college. And they exist in large part because of one Black woman who often goes unmentioned.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

27:52

7 Sep 22

What does it mean to "inherit whiteness?"

In Baynard Woods' new memoir, Inheritance: An Autobiography of Whiteness, Woods reflects on how growing up white in South Carolina impacted his life. He argues that it is crucial for white people in the U.S. to reckon with their personal histories.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

What does it mean to "inherit whiteness?"

In Baynard Woods' new memoir, Inheritance: An Autobiography of Whiteness, Woods reflects on how growing up white in South Carolina impacted his life. He argues that it is crucial for white people in the U.S. to reckon with their personal histories.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

26:44

31 Aug 22

What makes a good race joke?

When a comedian of color makes a joke, is it always about race, even if it's not about race? In part two of our comedians episodes, Code Switch talks to comedians Aparna Nancherla, Brian Bahe and Maz Jobrani about how and why race makes an appearance in their jokes.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

What makes a good race joke?

When a comedian of color makes a joke, is it always about race, even if it's not about race? In part two of our comedians episodes, Code Switch talks to comedians Aparna Nancherla, Brian Bahe and Maz Jobrani about how and why race makes an appearance in their jokes.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

27:48

24 Aug 22

Browse

Code Switch

Code Switch

More from

Episodes

Exclusion, resilience and the Chinese American experience on 'Mott Street'

Exclusion, resilience and the Chinese American experience on 'Mott Street'

How Hip-Hop Fights The Power — And Also Serves It

How Hip-Hop Fights The Power — And Also Serves It

Honoring My Enslaved Ancestors, Part One

Honoring My Enslaved Ancestors, Part One

The Original Rainbow Coalition

The Original Rainbow Coalition

Why the trope of the 'outside agitator' persists

Why the trope of the 'outside agitator' persists

In 'Chicano Frankenstein,' the undead are the new underpaid labor force

In 'Chicano Frankenstein,' the undead are the new underpaid labor force

How Jewish Communities Are Divided Over Support of Israel

How Jewish Communities Are Divided Over Support of Israel

The Rise and Fall of the Panama Canal

The Rise and Fall of the Panama Canal

Reflecting on the legacy of O.J. Simpson

Reflecting on the legacy of O.J. Simpson

How Frederick Douglass launched generations of Black and Irish solidarity

How Frederick Douglass launched generations of Black and Irish solidarity

WTF does race have to do with taxes?

WTF does race have to do with taxes?

Who does language belong to? A fight over the Lakota Language

Who does language belong to? A fight over the Lakota Language

Getting let down by the 'Great Expectations' of electoral politics

Getting let down by the 'Great Expectations' of electoral politics

In the world of medicine, race-based diagnoses are more than skin deep

In the world of medicine, race-based diagnoses are more than skin deep

This conspiracy theory about eating bugs is also about race

This conspiracy theory about eating bugs is also about race

The musical legacy of Japanese American incarceration

The musical legacy of Japanese American incarceration

Why menthol cigarettes have a chokehold on Black smokers

Why menthol cigarettes have a chokehold on Black smokers

Before the apps, people used newspapers to find love

Before the apps, people used newspapers to find love

How college footballers led the fight against racism in 1969

How college footballers led the fight against racism in 1969

What it's like to be a Black woman with bipolar disorder

What it's like to be a Black woman with bipolar disorder

Taylor Swift and the unbearable whiteness of girlhood

Taylor Swift and the unbearable whiteness of girlhood

A former church girl's search for a new spiritual home

A former church girl's search for a new spiritual home

What happens when public housing goes private?

What happens when public housing goes private?

The women who masterminded the Montgomery Bus Boycott

The women who masterminded the Montgomery Bus Boycott

Everyone wants a piece of Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy

Everyone wants a piece of Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy

67 years after desegregation, Arkansas schools are in the spotlight again

67 years after desegregation, Arkansas schools are in the spotlight again

Women of color have always shaped the way Americans eat

Women of color have always shaped the way Americans eat

Here are our favorite Code Switch episodes from 2023

Here are our favorite Code Switch episodes from 2023

Revisiting 'The Color Purple' wars

Revisiting 'The Color Purple' wars

This is what "real self-care" looks like

This is what "real self-care" looks like

Watching 'Renaissance' and what we hear in Beyoncé's silence

Watching 'Renaissance' and what we hear in Beyoncé's silence

The world can be painful. But love is possible, too

The world can be painful. But love is possible, too

Can you travel the world — ethically?

Can you travel the world — ethically?

A Tale of Two Tribal Nations

A Tale of Two Tribal Nations

Who Has The "Right To A Story?"

Who Has The "Right To A Story?"

How does a computer discriminate?

How does a computer discriminate?

All The Only Ones: The Missing Piece Of The Puzzle

All The Only Ones: The Missing Piece Of The Puzzle

Looking For My People In The Black Punk Scene