With Good Reason

The homeownership gap between whites and African Americans has exploded since the housing bust. It’s now wider than it was during the Jim Crow era. LaDale Winling (Virginia Tech) says this has its roots in the redlining and race-based denial of home loans dating back to the 1930s. Also: We’re in the midst of a generational change in where we live. Tim Murray (Virginia Military Institute) says millennials, saddled with student loans, are delaying home-buying, while baby boomers are selling their over-large houses or downsizing. Later in the show: There’s an eviction crisis in the United States, and it’s disproportionately affecting communities of color. Kathryn Howell and Ben Teresa are part of the RVA Eviction Lab which gathers data on eviction rates. They say high eviction rates destabilize communities, cause high turnover in student populations, and reduce community engagement and access to community networks and jobs. And: People who live on or near American Indian reservations are being denied access to

In recent years, ADAPT activists have made headlines for protests that helped stop the ACA repeal. Ruth Osorio (Old Dominion University) says their tactics fit into a long history of disability activism in the U.S., from the 504 occupation in 1977 to #actuallyautistic. Also: Julie DeLancey (University of Mary Washington) explains how people with different types of bodies organized and advocated for their rights hundreds of years ago, in Early Modern Italy. Later in the show: For years, children with disabilities were taught in separate classrooms or even separate institutions, keeping them away from their peers. But more recently, experts and advocates have argued that this separation is actually a form of unjust segregation. Liz Altieri and Darren Minarik (Radford University) explain how accessible teaching methods can keep more disabled kids in the regular classroom.

In her book Real Love, Sharon Salzberg—one of the world’s leading authorities on love—shows us it isn’t just an emotion we feel when we’re in a romantic relationship. It’s an ability we can nurture and cultivate. Also: The idea of “The Pause,” where medical caregivers take a moment together at the bedside of a patient who has died, began with emergency care nurse Jonathan Bartels at the University of Virginia hospital. This quiet moment honors the life of the person who has died and the efforts made by the caretakers. Later in the show: How do we go about creating a sense of self? Dr. Oliver Hill Jr. (Virginia State University) tells the story of his search for identity, first as a child caught up in a legal battle for school integration in the 1950s, then as a radical college student at a historically black university. After an unexpected connection at an ashram, he became a lifelong student of mindfulness and meditation practices he now brings into the lab and the classroom.

Religious scholars, neuroscientists, and psychoanalysts agree – there is a deep reservoir of activity beneath our conscious minds. Peter Vishton (William & Mary) shares how the unconscious mind may be making decisions for us, too quick for our conscious mind to realize. And: Daniel Hirshberg (University of Mary Washington) explores the subconscious with his Contemplative Studies students by wiring meditating students up to brain-imaging headsets. Plus: Graham Schweig (Christopher Newport University) has been practicing meditation for more than 50 years. He says “deepening the heart” is the real aim of many of India’s yoga traditions. Later in the Show: Listen to what more than a thousand women have to say about finding a balance between work, family, and self-care. Beth Cabrera (George Mason University) shares what she learned through interviews with women seeking a happy balance. Plus: Researchers have found specific genetic markers in a population of Chinese Han women that predispose them to the risk for

Although it was once an important part of feeding families, home canning in America has never been just about necessity. Danille Christensen (Virginia Tech) says a look back at home canning reveals the pride and creativity that went into stocking a pantry. And: Lilia Fuquen (Virginia Humanities) takes us inside a community cannery and a basement storeroom to hear from people who are keeping the tradition alive. Later in the show: Hunter Smith and Levi Duncan (Piedmont Virginia Community College and Champion Brewing Company) explain how a culture has grown up around brewing beer locally and at home. And: Susan Kern (College of William & Mary) says that just about everyone drank beer in early America—even for breakfast. We go to the site of a brewhouse that once existed on the campus of one of our nation’s oldest colleges. Plus: Paula Pando and Jesse Miller (Reynolds Community College) explain how a new culinary school aims to transform a food desert into a local food hub.

Politicians from John F. Kennedy to Ronald Reagan have called gerrymandering a “cancer on our democracy.” It's not a new issue, but everything from the way we draw lines to what's considered legal has changed a lot in recent years. Michael Gilbert (University of Virginia) shares the latest on gerrymandering. And: Since 2016, states like Michigan and Ohio have made news for a turn to the Republican party. Democrats, meanwhile, see hope in traditionally red Southern states that have been turning blue. Quentin Kidd (Christopher Newport University) talks about what this process has looked like in Virginia and what’s spurring it on. Later in the show: Fake news wasn't invented by the Internet. It has long been used as a way to demonize political opponents. Elizabeth Losh (William & Mary) says there are fake news stories that appeal to both the left and the right. Plus: Stephen Farnsworth (University of Mary Washington) traces the evolution of White House news management over the two decades from Bill Clinton and

Be warned: everything you say on Facebook can and will be used against you in a court of law! Jeff Bellin (William & Mary) studies how courts handle digital evidence like social media posts and text messages. Bellin was named Outstanding Faculty by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. And: There’s a lot of talk about cybersecurity, but what about cybercrime? What qualifies as cybercrime and what’s being done to stop it? Rod Graham (Old Dominion University) and ‘Shawn Smith (Radford University) tell us what it’s like for these uniquely 21st century victims. Later in the show: Robots built by Toyota will serve as guides during the 2020 Olympics in Japan. They’ll carry food, show visitors to their seats, and aid people in wheelchairs. As robots become ubiquitous, will humans trust or fear them? James Bliss (Old Dominion University) is studying how people might interact with robots that act as military peacekeepers. And: The near-Earth edge of space, where astronauts and low-orbiting spacecraft fl

There’s a lot to learn in science class: the periodic table, the stages of a butterfly, but also how to be an American citizen. Alix Fink (Longwood University) says learning science is also learning how to participate in our democracy. And: Ben Casteel (Virginia Highlands Community College) grew up with a passion for the Appalachian landscape all around him. He believes in the value of native plants and promoting biodiversity. Plus: After the 2011 earthquake in Japan, nematodes traveled all the way from Japan to California. Ashleigh Smythe (Virginia Military Institute) is studying the tiny worms and learning about their miraculous migration. Later in the show: If you’re poor in Botswana, lions and elephants aren’t cool wildlife—they’re threats to your crops, your herds, and your family. But protecting a robust wildlife population is a high priority for a country whose wealthy and middle classes rely on tourism. Kathleen Alexander (Virginia Tech) is working in Botswana to bridge the gap between conserving wi

For many, the Thanksgiving holidays are a time to gather with your biological relatives. But what if you don’t have the traditional, Norman-Rockwell family? April Few-Demo (Virginia Tech) studies how queer families of color, especially Black lesbians, navigate biological and chosen family. She says that dialogue about identity and acceptance might happen in subtle ways during the holidays. And: Shannon Davis (George Mason University) argues that we should remember those families who can’t get together during the holidays at all, because time off work is too high a price to pay. Plus: Laura Heston (Oxford University Press) shares how they and their LGBTQ chosen family celebrate a “Friendsgiving,” complete with drama and drag. Later in the show: Some scholars argue that what we call non-traditional families aren’t so non-traditional after all. Alicia Andrzejewski (William and Mary) has found chosen families and alternative bonds throughout the works of William Shakespeare. And: Before she became an instructor

During the holiday season, it feels like more and more consumers are skipping the department stores and opting for handcrafted goods instead. Ben Brewer (James Madison University) says this current “third wave” craft renaissance we’re experiencing is tied to politics. And: We visit mOb, an innovative design studio at Virginia Commonwealth University, where students in the disciplines of Graphic Design, Fashion Design, and Interior Design come together to solve design problems in the city of Richmond. Also: We stop in at the Virginia Center for the Book, where Kristin Keimu Adolfson is printing a collaborative book called Bird Talk using an antique Vandercook printing press. Plus: Craft brewer Gabe Mixon (Blue Ridge Community College in Flatrock, NC) shares a lesson in making beer. Later in the show: Chef and food activist Alice Waters argues that every child in America should be fed free, organic food at schools. Waters speaks candidly about her life before she opened Chez Panisse, her seminal farm-to-table

During the holiday season, it feels like more and more consumers are skipping the department stores and opting for handcrafted goods instead. Ben Brewer (James Madison University) says this current “third wave” craft renaissance we’re experiencing is tied to politics. And: We visit mOb, an innovative design studio at Virginia Commonwealth University, where students in the disciplines of Graphic Design, Fashion Design, and Interior Design come together to solve design problems in the city of Richmond. Also: We stop in at the Virginia Center for the Book, where Kristin Keimu Adolfson is printing a collaborative book called Bird Talk using an antique Vandercook printing press. Plus: Craft brewer Gabe Mixon (Blue Ridge Community College in Flatrock, NC) shares a lesson in making beer. Later in the show: Chef and food activist Alice Waters argues that every child in America should be fed free, organic food at schools. Waters speaks candidly about her life before she opened Chez Panisse, her seminal farm-to-table

Dr. Rochanda Mitchell is an expert in fetal medicine. She’s also a black woman pregnant with her first child who understands all too well that even highly education African American women are three and a half times more likely to die in childbirth than white women. She tells us the steps she's taking to protect her life.

Jalane Schmidt (University of Virginia) recently brought a group of Virginia teachers to see Charlottesville’s tiny monument to its enslaved residents. One teacher had a startling personal revelation at that site. And: Elgin Cleckley (University of Virginia) is an architect who studies empathy. He says redesigning public space can help heal racial wounds. Plus: Danville, Virginia was once a Confederate capital. Now, teams of citizens are working together to tell the story of a different Danville: a city that hosted Martin Luther King Jr. and Thurgood Marshall, a city where brave teenagers forced the public library to integrate, and where opportunity for all is on the rise. Karise Luck-Brimmer (History United) recently took students and teachers from Averett University on an eye-opening tour of African American Danville. Later in the show: In this intimate conversation, Chioke I’Anson (Virginia Commonwealth University) and producer Kelley Libby (UnMonumental) share their thoughts on Confederate statues and c

A yellow-eyed witch who sucks the life from unknowing strangers; fish-obsessed ghosts who lure lone men to a watery death; and ghosts who call out in the voice of a loved-one, sealing a murderous fate. Suchitra Samanta (Virginia Tech) says Bengali culture is filled with stories like these of ghostly women who wield supernatural powers after death. And: Horror films often mirror the anxieties and concerns of the times they were produced in. For example, the “creature films’ of the 50’s mirrored the fears of the post-atomic age. Todd Platts (Piedmont Virginia Community College) says the latest box office horror films like “Get Out” and “It” are a reflection of the political climate of the Trump presidency. Plus: When you think about theater, you might think of Shakespeare or Hamilton--but what about a haunted house? This year, theater professor Ben Mays (University of Virginia College at Wise) is working with his students to build an elaborate haunted house for their community, including all of the set design,

The most important architectural thinker of the young American republic was Thomas Jefferson. He also held captive more than 600 enslaved men, women, and children in his lifetime. Architects Mabel O. Wilson (Columbia University) and Louis Nelson (University of Virginia) discuss Jefferson’s conflicting ideals. Also featured: Erik Neil (Chrysler Museum of Art) takes us through the new Chrysler exhibit that explores the inherent conflict between Jefferson’s pursuit of liberty and democracy and his use of enslaved laborers to construct his monuments. Later in the show: Phillip Herrington (James Madison University) says the white-columned plantation house is one of the most enduring and divisive icons of American architecture. Also: The history of segregation is not just in our architecture, but in other public arts. John Ott (James Madison University) is studying how artists in the early 20th century represented integration in their works, particularly in public murals and sculptures.

What is a Hogzilla Chuck Norris Duck Ape? It’s the creation of a special education class in St. Louis and winner of the 2014 Global Monster Project. Terry Smith (Radford University) explains how creating monsters can help kids learn and grow. Plus: After a viral video raised new concerns about how teachers should be disciplining young children Kevin Sutherland (Virginia Commonwealth University) talks about training teachers to address bad behavior before it happens, not after. And: Rhonda Brock-Servais (Longwood University) says that gothic or horror literature for young kids is more popular than ever. She explores why and shares some of her favorites.

From all-African American sports teams to pioneering black opera singer Camilla Williams, many people thrived while living parallel lives during segregation.

Blown glass is one of the most beautiful and versatile mediums in art. Today, the art of glass blowing may involve up to date technology, but the essence of working with glass remains an ancient art. Jutta Page is an internationally acclaimed glass curator and the executive director of the Barry Art Museum at Old Dominion University. And: 3D printmaking gets a lot of attention these days as technology advances. But UVA Wise art professor Ray Stratton has been a 3d printmaker his entire career--and it doesn’t involve a fancy printer. Later in the show: Sam Blanchard (Virginia Tech) is a digital artist who uses technology to interweave everyday objects into extended metaphors of experience. He says his relationship between his art and his life flows through stages of inspiration, anticipation, and frustration. Also: Artist Marcia Neblett (Norfolk State University) talks about the physically intense process of woodblock printmaking and how she finds inspiration in fairy tales.

Imagine if Beyonce had a secret recording of her singing Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical Hamilton, from before they were both famous. It would be epic! Music professor Brooks Kuykendall (University of Mary Washington) has worked with a graduate student to uncover the epic musical crossover of the 19th century--a John Philip Sousa arrangement of Gilbert and Sullivan’s H.M.S. Pinafore. And: Stephen Vitiello (Virginia Commonwealth University) works with some unusual musicians: insects! Along with his collaborator, University of St. Louis biologist Kasey Fowler-Finn, Vitiello makes sound art out of the calls of insects, bringing these tiny songs to big galleries. And: Greg Howard (University of Virginia) remembers his friend Paul Koors, a physician and gifted songwriter, by encouraging others to play the songs that Koors left behind. Later in the show: In 2013, Caroline Shaw’s composition “Partita for 8 Voices” made her the youngest recipient ever of the Pulitzer Prize for Music. Today, Shaw’s compositions range f

The best defense against conspiracy theories and fake news is robust journalism--but only if people trust their sources. Mallory Perryman (Virginia Commonwealth University) studies why people distrust their news sources and what we should do to change their minds. And: Why do people believe weird things? That’s what Jason Hart (Christopher Newport University) wants to find out. He delves into the psychology behind ghost encounters, anti-vaccine hoaxes, conspiracy theories, and more. Later in the show: Lieutenant General George Crocker says that when he was first introduced to Rick Atkinson he was told, “If you like the truth, you’ll love Rick.” Over his long career as a journalist and historian, Atkinson has won three Pulitzer Prizes for works that he has written and edited. As part of the Pulitzer Centennial Campfire Initiative, we honor Rick Atkinson’s career, from Vietnam Veterans, WWII, and the Persian Gulf War to DC police shootings and the War in Iraq.