Award-winning journalist Mary C. Curtis tackles policies and politics through the lens of social justice, illuminating the issues that have been, and still are, dividing the country. After all, the world is not so black and white.
Latest episodes
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37 min
‘How rebellion and activism have always sustained America’
Rebellion and activism have always been necessary to move America toward progress, with always present obstacles to overcome, including violent opposition from those with their own…
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43 min
Do Black women have solutions to what’s ailing American democracy? By Mary C. Curtis
When Black women show up – as election workers, activists, advocates, voters – they make a difference. So, when they step forward, why do they so often meet resistance, not just fr…
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46 min
Mixing religion and politics in America. That isn’t new. What makes today different?
If the line separating church and state in America has not yet disappeared, it is certainly fading fast. The evidence? A Supreme Court willing to rule in favor of faith-based lawsu…
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50 min
Does labeling protest ‘domestic terrorism’ weaken national security -- and First Amendment protections?
Just who is a “domestic terrorist,” and what is the danger when a protest is labeled “an act of domestic terrorism”? President Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, has announced a drawd…
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51 min
The state of voting rights in a critical midterm election year
November 2026 is closer than it may seem, with candidates already campaigning for the midterms. But are enough Americans paying attention to current action in the courts that could…
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46 min
Advocacy and recognition lead to action for the disabled in sports -- and beyond
As an aspiring equestrian facing obstacles, Jack Goldberg learned that even with good intentions and legislation, follow through can be uncertain. So, as a young teen, he leaned in…
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31 min
Despite DEI pushback, a corporate culture of belonging is possible
The Trump administration’s war on DEI, diversity, equity and inclusion policies, has left many companies that value a welcoming workplace more than a little confused. What is allow…
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49 min
College Leadership in Turbulent Times
Being a college president has never been the easiest job. But today, it seems an impossible one. The campus may still be a place that encourages students to think critically and to…
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42 min
A moral call-to-action on climate and energy policy
There had been progress on the issue of environmental justice, with the contributions of citizen-activists, who spurred the government to protect historically marginalized communit…
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40 min
Closing the opportunity gap in education
It’s back to school time, with excitement mixed with uncertainty and anxiety. News from the Department of Education is primarily about cutting its budget or eliminating the departm…
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39 min
‘Accidental activists,’ the local heroes who expose government secrecy
In “Backroom Deals in Our Backyards: How Government Secrecy Harms Our Communities and the Local Heroes Fighting Back,” Miranda Spivack tells the stories of ordinary citizens who di…
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38 min
What is ‘the way forward’ after violence born of hatred?
It’s been 10 years since a 21-year-old gunman murdered nine church members who welcomed him to Bible study. The attack on Charleston, S.C.’s historic Emanuel African Methodist Epis…
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44 min
The Politics of the Catholic Church after Pope Francis
The personality and outreach of Pope Francis attracted worldwide admiration. Though he did not stray from Catholic doctrine, he connected those teachings to issues such as immigrat…
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47 min
How a post-World War II ‘Red Scare’ resonates in modern America
Fights over how American history is taught. Labels of “Communist” and “Socialist” used to smear. Civil rights gains seen as a loss for the “real” America. While all that might soun…
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38 min
Fighting a disease and a health-care system
As America’s health-care system is not being spared in policy shake-ups from the very top, Equal Time takes a look at one case and what it says about disparities in health care and…
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49 min
Has the fringe gone mainstream?
In 2025, you don’t have to reach very far to reach those dark corners of the internet where fringe conspiracy theories and racist memes once hid. In award-winning journalist Elle R…
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43 min
Why Lying in Politics Is a Danger to Democracy and Can It Be Fixed?
The “L-word.” It took some time for journalists to call a lie a lie when politicians uttered provable falsehoods. After all, don’t all politicians stretch the truth when it comes t…
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44 min
Looking at Climate Futures with Imagination and Resolve
With a recently concluded global climate summit with challenging takeaways, an incoming president who vows to again remove the U.S.from international climate agreements, and increa…
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46 min
How a battle for locker-room access was about so much more
Sports and politics don’t mix. In truth, that has never been the case. Sports, in fact, reflect every issue, every conflict in society from civil rights to equal justice. Melissa L…
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36 min
Has grift hijacked American conservatism?
In the middle of a contentious election season, it might be the perfect time to look back, to try to figure out how we got here. In “The Longest Con: How Grifters, Swindlers, and F…