How America was built on slavery
American capitalism was built on the backs of slaves and the slave economy — and not just in the South. Some of these practices are still with us.
On lynching and racial oppression
The practice of lynching was originally used against British loyalists. But after the Civil War it became a way of brutally suppressing the rights and agency of African American citizens.
Surviving and thriving in N.M.—during crisis times and beyond
How do you improve county infrastructures and systems so that they serve 100% of the people–especially during times of crisis? We talk to authors-activists Dr. Katherine Ortega Courtney and Dominic Cappello about places in New Mexico that are working out exactly this question.
American Zion: Religion and rebellion on Western public lands
Cliven Bundy is a rancher who’s refused for decades to pay his grazing fees for using public lands. But where did his ideas about public lands come from? We talk to author Betsy Gaines Quammen about her new book.
Why the biggest reservoirs in the west are running low–and what to do about it
Water expert Brian Richter walks us through the history of these great man-made lakes, and how we can ensure that they will continue to provide water through man-made crises like climate change.
Crises of their own: How nonprofits are creatively confronting COVID-19
Organizations serving the public during the crisis of COVID-19 are facing their own challenges.
Food, farmers, and the virus–navigating the difficulties and disconnects
There’s plenty of food, but with Covid-19 it’s not getting where it needs to go, and everyone–especially farmers–is paying the price. Rachel Armstrong of Farm Commons walks us through the problems–and some solutions–to the many dilemmas facing the food system.
Love Sickness: Shakespeare, medicine and metaphors in a world of plague
Romantic love was long considered an illness — with some bizarre and harrowing treatments
The most vulnerable among us: How the pandemic reveals inequities in health care and beyond
Poor and minority communities were at a disadvantage before COVID-19, but they are getting hit hardest now. Can the U.S.
Restoring public lands through grazing
Grazing on public lands is controversial–for good reason. But when it’s done right, adaptive grazing can greatly improve land health–from overgrazed land, to former oil fields, to bombing ranges. Gregory Horner tells the stories.