Andrei Codrescu

Andrei Codrescu left Romania as a teenager, made his way to the United States via Italy, and after spending time in many parts of the country including Detroit and New York City, eventually settled in New Orleans. He teaches English at LSU in Baton Rouge and has been providing commentary for NPR’s All Things Considered since 1983. In “After the Deluge: A Letter to America” he writes, “…it’s okay to be alive and you don’t have to work like a dog without any joy in this lifetime.” Still, he must work pretty hard because he’s published a huge stack of poetry, fiction, and essays over the last four decades.

Click here to go to Andrei’s website and click here for an archive of his stories from All Things Considered.

Use the flash player below to listen to to a podcast of Marc Steiner’s interview with Andrei Codrescu last Friday. Running time is 49:13. Topics sprawl from Andre’s writing, to New Orleans, chess, mysticism, the Holocaust, and more.

Body of War

Tomas Young is a young veteran who was paralyzed in Iraq in April 2004. His life and his mission to end the war is chronicled in the new documentary, Body of War, by filmmakers Ellen Spiro and Phil Donahue. It is also the story of his mother, Cathy, as she sends yet another son, Nathan, off to a war that has already sent one son home disabled. It is the story of his wife, Brie, who finds herself serving as Tomas's nurse, a role that puts stress on their new marriage. And it is the story of Senator Robert Byrd, the senator from West Virginia who was 85 when he led the charge against war, an attempt that ended in ultimate defeat. Ultimately, it is the story of how a nation went to war, and the terrible consequences this nation now faces.

The film is being shown now at festivals and independent theaters across the country. Marc Steiner sat down with Tomas Young and filmmakers Ellen Spiro and Phil Donahue to talk with them about the film and the message they hope it sends.

Child Brides, Stolen Lives: The Problem of Child Marriage

Female genital mutilation. Sex slaves. Human trafficking.

These are the topics that journalist Maria Hinojosa thought of when she was deciding which global women’s issue to focus on for a special episode of NOW, the acclaimed PBS program. But a phone call to a source set her straight. The biggest issue facing women globally is not genital mutilation, or slavery. It is the millions of women that are forced to marry as children. 51 million girls under the age of 18 are married. According to a report by the International Center for Research on Women, that number will rise to 100 million by the end of this decade. Marc and Maria sat down and talked about her documentary Child Brides; Stolen Lives which premiered on PBS in 2007.

Sunam is only 3 years old. She is dressed up in her bridal
outfit as she prepares to marry her 7 year old cousin.
Photo Credit: Farzana Wahidy/AP.

Want to watch the documentary? Visit the website of Now on PBS.

Under the cut…resources and pictures!

Here are a couple of the girls you will meet in this documentary and interview

Habi

Habi lives in Niger. She will tell the story of how she came to be incontinent as a result of being married as a child.

Mamta

Mamta was only 7 when she was married to a man she had never met. She is afraid of her husband.

Several months ago, the New York Times Magazine published a stunning series of pictures of child brides in Afghanistan with their husbands. Here is a link to that article and slideshow. One photo is above. Ghulam Haider, 11, is to be married to Faiz Mohammed, 40. She had hoped to be a teacher but was forced to quit her
classes when she became engaged. Photo Credit: Stephanie Sinclair for the New York Times

The International Center for Research on Women has a wealth of information about child marriages. Visit their online exhibit Too Young To Wed: Child Marriage in their Own Words.

Let us know what you think of the interview.

Program length is 39: 21.

Congressman Ruppersberger On The Bailout Plan

Congresswoman Donna Edwards votes NO on the bailout plan

On Monday, September 29th Congresswoman Donna Edwards was one of three Maryland representatives to vote against the economic bailout plan.  She joined Marc by phone from Washington to explain why she voted against the bill, and what steps she thinks Congress will take next.

Elijah Cummings at the DNC

Marc sat down with Maryland Congressman Elijah Cummings during the DNC and recorded this interview.  Hear what Cummings has to say about Obama, and more.  Running time is 16 minutes.  Click the podcast player below to listen, or use the mp3 link below to download.

Former Republican Governor of Maryland Robert Ehrlich

Click the podcast player below to hear former Republican Governor of Maryland Robert Ehrlich's thoughts on the upcoming elections, including McCain's choice of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate, Obama's current lead in the polls, and more.  Marc and Governor Ehrlich also discuss the Congressional race in Maryland's first district, where Ehrlich has supported Andy Harris, who beat the incumbent Congressman Wayne Gilchrest in the Republican primary.  Andy Harris is running against Democrat Andy Kratovil in the district that has been one of two in Maryland with a sitting Republican Congressman, while the other six districts are all held by the Democrats.

Gay Republican Trading Cards

Marc interviews the creators of a deck of Gay Republican trading cards during the DNC.  Check out the cards at www.gayrepublicancards.com.

Iraq and the Presidential Election

Can you believe that on Thursday, March 20th, it will have been five years since the United States led the invasion into Iraq? Sometimes it seems like the conflict has been dragging on so much longer. Other times it seems like just yesterday that we were watching American troops help Iraqis pull down that statue of Saddam.

Does it seem that we are talking about Iraq a lot less than we used to? Has the mainstream media totally abdicated responsibility for covering this story, choosing instead to talk about super-delegates and shocking caucus results? Have the candidates refused to discuss it? Are we just so relieved that the violence is below pre-surge levels that we feel we can ignore it ? Are we just bored with it-and misinformed about it? Why is there not major mainstream media coverage of the winter soldier hearings?

Whatever it is, we know our audience still cares about Iraq and what is happening there, so over this week and next we are bringing you a series of podcasts talking about Iraq. We’re going to hear from scholars, journalists, Iraqis and Iraqi Americans, veterans, peace activists and more. If you have any ideas for points of view you want us to investigate, let us know!

First up, we wanted to take a look at the intersection of the presidential election and Iraq. Where do Senators McCain, Clinton, and Obama
stand on the war (click on their names to read their campaign platforms on Iraq)? What is their history in terms of the Iraq war (Go here for Clinton, here for McCain, and here for Obama)? What
can the beliefs of their advisers tell us about their agenda? McCain has a reputation for being a maverick-does he have a maverick agenda for Iraq? Does the fact that he is a veteran give his agenda more credibility? Some people say Hillary and Obama agree on most major policies–is that true for their Iraq plans? To get to the bottom of
these questions, we talked with UMBC history professor Brad Simpson. He is an astute observer and analyst of U.S. foreign policy. Sure, he’s got a point of view and he isn’t afraid to voice it, but he’s got criticism for both sides of the aisle and he dishes it out with a real knowledge of the issues.

Let us know what you think…

Running time is 27 minutes.

Iraq: The Real Cost of the War

What is the real cost of the Iraq War? According to the Bush administration, the tab so far totals over $500 billion dollars-10 times the $50 billion originally estimated.

Nobel Prize winner and former Chief Economist and Senior Vice-President of the World Bank Joseph Stiglitz says that number is outrageous-not because it's so high, but because it's so low. In a new book written with Linda Bilmes, he says the true cost of the war is going to be closer to three trillion dollars. He alleges that the Bush administration is playing with the numbers by only counting upfront costs-and not including other costs, such as health care for veterans and increased recruitment costs. He also confronts the idea that this war could actually provide a much needed stimulus for the American economy.

Joseph Stiglitz joined Marc Steiner by phone to explain how he came up with the three trillion dollar amount, and what he thinks needs to be done to ensure America's financial security.

Running time is 34:12.

Iraqi American Viewpoint: An Interview with Adil Shamoo

Imagine you are a person who left your native country because you didn’t want to live under its government. Imagine several decades later, your adopted country chooses to invade your native country and topple the same regime you left under.

Iraqi Americans in Michigan celebrate
execution of Saddam Hussein. Not all Iraqi Americans were so
happy. Photo Credit: Associated Press

What do you do?

Do you celebrate, thrilled that the regime you disliked is now gone?

Or do you mourn as you watch your country, which despite the dictatorship was a vibrant safe place, turn into a place you can barely recognize?

Such is the circumstance of many Iraqi Americans. Most of the
Iraqi’s living in the United States disliked Saddam Hussein. But that doesn’t mean they were happy to see U.S. tanks roll into Baghdad to topple his government.

The fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq is upon us. Over the
next couple of weeks, we’re bringing you interviews with scholars,
veterans, peace activists, and more. Today, we are bringing you an
interview with Dr. Adil Shamoo. Dr. Shamoo grew up in Iraq, in the
Chaldean christian community. He came to the United States in the
1960’s, and he a professor of bioethics at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

Running time is 25:30. The music heard at the beginning
and end of this interview is “Second Baghdad” by the Iraqi musician Rahim Alhaj.

Most recent articles written by Dr. Adil Shamoo

• February 22, 2008 The Enduring Trap in Iraq
• December 17, 2007 Winning or Losing in Iraq
• May 31, 2007 The Destruction of Iraqi Healthcare Infrastructure

Other links of interest

• Wikipedia entry about Iraqi American community
• Who are the Chaldean Christians? From BBC.COM
• Voices of Iraqi Americans on War and Peace from KBOO as showcased by the Public Radio Exchange

Jesse Jackson Speaks!

So, out here in Denver this week, in the middle of everything else we're doing, I've been recording a series of panels hosted by The Nation magazine for podcasts on their site.  Today there was a surprise guest right before the panel, Jesse Jackson.  That's the Reverend Jesse Jackson, or Jesse Jackson, Sr., not to be confused with his son the Congressman.  From what I've heard at this point, he hasn't been too visible during the DNC yet this week, and today's the last day.  Word is he flew in from DC this morning. Guess he wasn't invited to speak at the convention, after his unfortunate off-camera remarks became headlines in July.

Wondering what he had to say here today?  I'll spare you some suspense; he's supporting Obama!  To find out more, you'll have to listen.  Click below:

Jewish Partisan Resistance in Lithuania

Julia Butterfly Hill: The Girl Who Lived in a Tree

"You want to interview the woman who lived in a tree?" I asked Marc when he told me Julia Butterfly Hill would be in Baltimore and available to talk with us. I admit I was skeptical. Of course I knew Julia's story. From December 1997 to December 1999 she lived in a California Redwood Tree named Luna to keep loggers from cutting the tree down. Some people called her a crazy hippie, some people said she was an inspiration, while others believed she was breaking the law and should be prosecuted. But that happened ten years ago-why talk to Julia now?

Julia in Luna

I'm happy to admit I was wrong, wrong, wrong. This was one of the most fascinating interviews I have ever had the pleasure of being involved with. In a studio at WEAA on the Morgan State University campus, Julia told the amazing tale of her 738 days living in Luna. She shared with us the poetry and artwork that is currently on display at Baltimore's own American Visionary Arts Museum as part of the All Faiths Beautiful exhibit. These are drawings and writings she made while living in Luna and they are evidence of the wide array of emotions she went through while she lived in Luna--from fear for her life to a sense of deep joy and oneness with the universe. They are made on scraps of paper and cardboard that she had in the tree with her.

Please enjoy the interview and take the time to visit the AVAM and see Julia's artwork.  The running time is 56:30.

Learn More:

• Julia's blog
• Buy Julia's book "Legacy of Luna"
• Learn more about tree sitting
• Luna, an upcoming movie by the same company that did The Visitor and An Inconvenient Truth

Some images from Julia's exhibition at the AVAM.

Juvenile Justice: Officials and Activists Discuss Solutions

Welcome to two podcasts on the issue of Juvenile Justice.

When the Baltimore Sun reported that teachers at Baltimore City Juvenile Justice Center had approached Governor O'Malley in March complaining that the Center was out of control, reform advocates weren't especially surprised. The Center, which houses teenage boys charged with theft, drug dealing, and assault, has been troubled since it opened in October 2003. From Justice Department investigations to chronic understaffing, the Center has never become what it was meant to be, a start at reforming the system.

This week Marc sat down with Secretary of Juvenile Services Donald Devore to find out his plans for turning the system around. He also spoke with Ray Cook, a community activist who started working at DJS after meeting Secretary Devore on our show-but who quit in frustration just a few months ago.

Please click on the links below to access the interviews and see our blog for more on juvenile justice and a chance to comment.

Juvenile Justice: Conversation with Secretary Donald Devore

In this podcast, Marc talks with Donald Devore, Secretary of Maryland's Department of Juvenile Services, about the work he's done in his first fourteen months on the job, and the work that still lies ahead for him and his department. 

Note that one person's name has been beeped out to protect his identity, as he was a minor.  Enjoy and let us know what you think.  Running time 41:41.

Luring Hollywood: Debating Film Tax Credits

A look at the practice of using tax credits to lure film industries to locate their productions in Maryland.

Federal Hillywood?

Remember when we found out that the movie of the musical version of the film Hairspray wouldn't be filled in Baltimore, but rather in Toronto, Canada? Many people were outraged. And the film Annapolis--that was shot in Philadelphia.

Some industry experts, like Jack Gerbes of the Maryland Film Office, argue that there is a substantial return on the
investment in the industry with incentives. Proponents of incentives say we could be more aggressive in the tax credits we offer to film productions, including rebates and sales tax exemptions. They point to the hundreds of millions of dollars these productions spend with local vendors and employing Maryland residents as the benefits of having them here.

But other people, like Sheldon Laskin, an adjunct professor of state and local tax in the Graduate Tax Program at the University of Baltimore Law School, believe that film tax credits are not the best policy. He says that it is a mistake to invest in a production that will be here for only a finite amount of time and will not offer long-term economic benefit.

Jack Gerbes and Sheldon Laskin sat down with Marc Steiner to argue view on this issue. Please note the correction appended to the end of the podcast.

Further reading:

• Sheldon Laskin argues against film tax credits in the Baltimore Sun
• The Maryland Film Office website
• Industry lobbyists are busy in Annapolis (Business Journals)
• Credit lures production to Maryland (Daily Record)
• Films go for the best tax breaks (New York Times)
• Some states will lose by offering big breaks (Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis)

Marc interviews Tom Schaller and Bob Moser

Marc interviews Tom Schaller and Bob Moser in Denver during the DNC.  Tom Schaller writes for Salon and is the author of Whistling Past Dixie.  Bob Moser is a contributing writer to The Nation and the author of Blue Dixie: Awakening the South’s Democratic Majority.  They discuss different views on Democratic politics in the south, and more.  Running time is 23:14.

Maryland Dem Leaders at the DNC

Click below to hear Marc Steiner interviewing Mike Cryor, the Chairman of the Maryland Democratic Party, and Quincey Gamble, the MD Dems' Executive Director.  It was recorded on the convention floor during the DNC.  Running time is 3:53.

Nancy Pelosi

Nancy Pelosi will be in Baltimore tonight, discussing her new book Know Your Power at 7pm in the Main Hall at the Enoch Pratt Library.

Here's a podcast of an interview with her today, in which she discusses not only her book, but also the Wall Street bailout being debated in Congress, and her thoughts on the effect race will have in the upcoming presidential election.

Running time is 17 minutes.

Ron Kovic Also Speaks!

The surprises keep coming.  Ron Kovic, a US Marine who was shot and paralyzed in Vietnam in 1968, then went on to become an anti-war leader, and author of the memoir Born on the Fourth of July, rolled in for a quick, unscheduled speech.  Listen to it here:

School Violence: Dr. Andres Alonso

The question of whether or not enough is being done to keep students and teachers safe in Baltimore City Public Schools is being asked a lot lately, ever since art teacher Jolita Berry was attacked by a student in the classroom, and students later uploaded videos of the beating to video sharing websites.

We sat down with Baltimore City Public Schools CEO Dr. Andres Alonso to find out what his plans for reducing school violence are.

Running time is 51 minutes. Let us know what you think!

 

School Violence: Students Speak Out

Yesterday, we visited the offices of the Baltimore Algebra Project. This is a place where students from all over Baltimore are paid to mentor and tutor one another. There is also an advocacy component. Members of the Algebra Project have been detained by police in Annapolis while protesting at the State House and have attempted to place Nancy Grasmick, Maryland Superintendent of Education, under
citizen's arrest. Marc talked with three students, Stephanie and Ralikh from Baltimore Polytechnic Institute and Greg from Heritage High, to find out what they think should be done to stem violence in school.

Ralikh, Stephanie, and Greg (in the hat)

Running time is 47:10.

School Violence: Teacher's Roundtable

No one would ever claim that a Baltimore City Public School teacher has an easy job, but the attack on art teacher Jolita Berryhas made everyone realize just how dangerous a teacher's job can be. Teachers are beginning to speak up loud and clear about the dangers they face in the classroom and are complaining that they do not receive the support they need from their principals and union representatives.

How bad is the problem? What do teachers need to feel safe? Marc Steiner sat down with two current BCPSS teachers as well as a former teacher who left the system after being attacked twice in her classroom. Joining him was Ebon Soul, a history teacher at Carver Vocational-Technical High School, Julia Gumminger, a former art teacher at Waverly Middle School, and Bob Keal, an ESL teacher at an elementary/middle school in Baltimore City.

 Marc Steiner talks with teachers at WEAA.

Ebon Soul, history teacher at Carver Vocational Technical High School.

Julia Gumminger, former art teacher at Waverly Middle.

Running time is 43 minutes. Video coming soon. Enjoy!

Thanks to our friends at WEAA for helping us out with this podcast.

Sonya Clark: Hair, Art, and Identity

 An interview with textile artist Sonya Clark, whose exhibit at the Walters Art Museum shows sculptures made of human hair.

Do you run your hands happily through your lover's hair, but cringe when you find one of their hairs on your pillow or in a dish they have prepared for you? Do you spend hundreds of dollars on fancy salons and designer gels and shampoos to achieve that "just rolled out of bed" look? Do you agonize over hair that is thinning as it you older? Is your hair more important to you than you might like to admit?

These are just a few of the tensions that textile artist Sonya Clark's work is evocative of. Her new exhibit at the Walters Art Museum, "Loose Stands, Tight Knots" is full of pieces she made using her own hair and in some cases, the hair of others. As a black woman, she is well aware of the complicated and fascinating role that hair plays in the African American community. She's also using her work to reflect on the history of her parents and grandparents, who were also craftspeople.

Sonya sat down with Marc Steiner for an interview about the role hair has played in her life, why she chooses to use it as her medium, and what her art says about human experience.

Below are some pictures of Sonya Clark's work that are currently being exhibited at the Walters Art Museum. The exhibit will be open until September 21st. Enjoy the podcast and the exhibit!

Links for further learning:

• Sonya Clarke's website
• Combing the history of black hair from the Terrance Say's blog
• Farai Chideya talks with photographer Michael Cunningham and writer George Alexander about their new book, Queens: Portraits of Black Women and Their Fabulous Hair.

Ta-Nehisi Coates: A Fresh Look at the Democratic Primary

 

Ta-Nehisi Coates is a writer who also happens to be a native son. He was born and raised in Baltimore and is the son of Paul Coates, creator of Black Classic Press and one of the leaders of the Black Panther movement in Baltimore in the late '60s and early '70s. But his lineage is not why Marc invited him for an interview. It was his article in The Nation magazine, in which he argued that, despite all the punditry about how Barack Obama represents post-racial politics, he is actually "the blackest man to take the public stage ever."  In another part of the article, Coates says, "If elected, surely Obama will be the first President to greet foreign dignitaries with a pound. "

How could we pass up a chance to explore that idea?  Marc and Te-Nehisi also talked about Bill Cosby (a subject Ta-Nehisi wrote about in a recent issue of The Atlantic), Al Sharpton, Hillary Clinton, and much more.

Running time is 34 minutes. Enjoy, and let us know what you think.  Don't forget to check out Ta-Nehisi's blog and his recently released book The Beautiful Struggle: A Father, Two Sons, and an Unlikely Road to Manhood.

Ted Venetoulis and Tommy D'Alessandro at the DNC

Marc interviews Ted Venetoulis, former Baltimore County Executive, and Tommy D'Alessandro, the former Mayor of Baltimore, in Denver during the DNC.

The Coates: A Father and Son Discuss the Road to Manhood

Ta-Nehisi Coates is an author whose new book is called The Beautiful Struggle: A Father, Two Sons, and an Unlikely Road to Manhood.  Paul Coates is the father mentioned in the title.  He's the founder of Black Classics Press.  They joined us to discuss the complexities of coming of age and raising a family in black, urban America.  Their real-life story takes place in Baltimore, but could translate easily to many cities around the United States.

Ta-Nehisi has written for numerous publications including The Village Voice, Time, The Nation, NY Times Magazine, The Atlantic, and O.  I would recommend his blog as a great place to check out some of his writing.  Also, click here for a recent interview Ta-Nehisi did with us focusing largely on the '08 presidential campaigns.

The running time of this podcast is 49 minutes.  The transcript is available below.

The Consitution Day Symposium, pt. 1: Panelists

Constitution Day: September 17, 2008

photo credit: Jim Burger Photography

MICA, ACLU of Maryland Present Constitution Day Event Focusing on Voting Rights, Electoral Reform

Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) and the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland (ACLU-MD) commemorated Constitution Day with Whose Democracy Is This Anyway? Voting Rights and Electoral Reform in 2008. The free symposium took place on Wednesday, September 17 at 7 p.m. in Falvey Hall, Brown Center. It featured The Rev. Jesse Jackson, founder and president of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition; investigative reporter Greg Palast, author of Armed Madhouse and The Best Democracy Money Can Buy; and Jonathan Simon, co-founder of the Election Defense Alliance.

Marc Steiner, the executive director of the Center for Emerging Media, moderated the panel discussion.

Officially established in 2004, Constitution Day recognizes the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. The annual event continues MICA's tradition of leadership in raising and exploring important issues surrounding the document that provides the framework for the organization of the U.S. government.

For more information on the Rev. Jesse Jackson:  www.rainbowpush.org

For more information on Greg Palast: www.gregpalast.com and www.StealBackYourVote.org

For more information on Jonathan D. Simon: www.ElectionDefenseAlliance.org

The symposium is downloadable in two parts. Part 1 contains the panelist discussion.

The Constitution Day Symposium, pt. 2: Q&A

Constitution Day: September 17, 2008

photo credit: Jim Burger Photography

MICA, ACLU of Maryland Present Constitution Day Event Focusing on Voting Rights, Electoral Reform

Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) and the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland (ACLU-MD) commemorated Constitution Day with Whose Democracy Is This Anyway? Voting Rights and Electoral Reform in 2008. The free symposium took place on Wednesday, September 17 at 7 p.m. in Falvey Hall, Brown Center. It featured The Rev. Jesse Jackson, founder and president of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition; investigative reporter Greg Palast, author of Armed Madhouse and The Best Democracy Money Can Buy; and Jonathan Simon, co-founder of the Election Defense Alliance.

Marc Steiner, the executive director of the Center for Emerging Media, moderated the panel discussion.

Officially established in 2004, Constitution Day recognizes the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. The annual event continues MICA's tradition of leadership in raising and exploring important issues surrounding the document that provides the framework for the organization of the U.S. government.

For more information on the Rev. Jesse Jackson:  www.rainbowpush.org

For more information on Greg Palast: www.gregpalast.com and www.StealBackYourVote.org

For more information on Jonathan D. Simon: www.ElectionDefenseAlliance.org

The symposium is downloadable in two parts. Part 2 contains the audience Q&A session.

The Visitor: A Talk with Writer/Director Thomas McCarthy

Welcome to a conversation with Thomas McCarthy, the writer and director of a new film called The Visitor.

Tarek teaching Walter the drum

This movie is the tale of a middle-aged college professor, Walter Vale, who comes home to his  New York City apartment after an extended abscense.  He is surprised to find a Syrian man named Tarek  and a Senegalese woman named Zainab living in his apartment.  They are surprised to see him as well, because they believed they had legally sublet the place.  After an exciting introduction, Walter takes pity on the now-homeless couple and invites them to stay in his apartment-thus beginning a relationship with the warm drum-player Tarek and the prickly but beautiful jewelry designer Zainab.  Tarek begins to give Walter drum lessons, which offers Walter a sense of passion that had been missing from his life.  One day, while coming home from a drum circle, Tarek is arrested in the subway.  When Walter arrives at the apartment and tells Zainab, he learns that she and Tarek are undocumented immigrants, and that Tarek's arrest could mean deportation.

Marc caught up with director and writer Thomas McCarthy, who all Wire fans know as the slimy reporter Scott Templeton.  When he isn't acting, Thomas is writing amazing movies like his first work, The Station Agent, and this more recent accomplishment, The Visitor.  Marc chatted with Thomas about the creative process of writing and directing, how he cast this multicultural cast, and his thoughts on how movies can speak on sensitive political issues like immigration.

Enjoy, and let us know what you think.  Running time is 31 minutes.

WEAA Town Meeting with Andres Alonso

On Monday, May 19th from 6-8pm we made our first broadcast on WEAA, 88.9FM. It was a live interview with Andres Alonso, the CEO of Baltimore's Public School System. The phone lines stayed full, and we took as many calls from listeners as we could over the course of two hours.

Listen to the first hour by clicking the player below, or by downloading the mp3 further down the page. Click here to go to the 2nd hour.

Zohara Hieronimus on the seven female prophets of Israel

Kabbalistic Teachings of the Female Prophet: The Seven Holy Women of Ancient Israel is the new book
from local author and broadcaster Zohara Meyerhoff Hieronimus. Zoh's
new book draws the connections between the seven female prophets who are Sarah, Miriam, Devorah, Chanah, AvIgail, ChUldah, and Ester—and the seven lower sefirat on the Kabbalistic tree of life, the days of the week, the human body, Jewish rituals and holidays, and the seven species of Israel, which are wheat, barley, grapes, date or date honey, figs, pomegranate and olives. In her
book, she argues that an integration of all of these elements "shows us a way of living and acting in the world in any given situation in a way most harmoniums to the root nature of the creator in whose image we are made."

The Kabbalistic Tree of Life