February 27, 2018

#100: A Hundred Episodes Later, We FINALLY Talk About Gerrymandering

It’s our 100th episode (thank you!) and Maria is reporting around the country for the next few weeks so we ask, “Where is Maria?” before we finally discuss topics you have told us to do for a while now: gerrymandering and other forms of limiti…

February 23, 2018

ITT FYI: The LULAC Letter

Last week, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) President Roger C. Rocha Jr. refused to step down after a letter he sent to President Trump went viral. Then, CEO Brent Wilkes unexpectedly resigned. Julio calls him to find out why. …

February 20, 2018

#99: Scandal in the White House

This week, we take a look at two stories that were overlooked. What is going on with the Russia investigation? Then, should White House Chief of Staff John Kelly resign? Maria and Julio are joined by Terrell Jermaine Starr, senior reporter at …

February 16, 2018

ITT FYI: Code Red

Wednesday’s shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, shook the core of many, including all of us here at In The Thick. In this latest ITT FYI, host Julio Ricardo Varela tries to make sense out of America’s latest …

February 13, 2018

#98: My Political Party Is Journalism

Could media across the political spectrum be doing a better job of reporting on politics, immigration and the President? Hosts Maria Hinojosa and Julio Ricardo Varela lead a discussion with MRC Latino’s Ken Oliver-Mendez and nationally syndica…

February 9, 2018

SPECIAL REPORT: On the Ground in D.C.

After a brief government shutdown in the early hours Friday morning, President Trump signed a bipartisan budget bill passed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives. The one thing not included in the bill was DACA, which Congress no…

February 6, 2018

#97: The Case of Immigration Activist Ravi Ragbir

After what a federal judge called an “unnecessarily cruel” detainment, immigration activist Ravi Ragbir is scheduled for deportation this Saturday, February 10th. This is following the recent detention and deportation of several other national…

January 31, 2018

The Super Bowl of Politics: Trump’s 1st SOTU (Bonus)

President Trump gave his first State of the Union speech Tuesday night, and between bringing up MS-13 and statements like “Americans are dreamers too,” immigration was a major underlying theme. Join Maria and Julio as they share their thoughts…

January 30, 2018

#96: A 21st Century Civil Rights Moment

In February, schools will participate in the national Black Lives Matter week of action. Teachers will discuss racial issues, and schools around the country will fly Black Lives Matter flags. So, how is race discussed in America’s education sy…

January 26, 2018

ITT FYI: Is Trump’s New DACA Framework DOA?

The Trump team unveiled new immigration framework with a path to citizenship for DACA in exchange for $25 billion for the border wall and sweeping changes to the legal immigration system. We spoke with Buzzfeed’s White House correspondent Tari…

January 23, 2018

#95: Dealing With DACA and the Women’s Movement

On Monday, the Senate Democrats agreed to a short-term spending bill ending the three-day government shutdown and stalling a DACA resolution. Hosts Maria Hinojosa and Julio Ricardo Varela check in with Suzanne Gamboa, senior writer with NBC Ne…

January 16, 2018

#94: DACA Updates and Presidential Lawsuits

The future of DACA is one of this week’s top political stories, and we check in with Cristina Jiménez, executive director of United We Dream, to discuss the latest from Capitol Hill. Then, Maria and Julio speak with attorney Jameel Jaffer of t…

January 12, 2018

ITT FYI: “Shithole Countries”

After President Trump referred to Haiti, El Salvador, and countries in Africa as “shithole countries,” we ask: Could this have legal implications for the president? Maria and Julio have a quick convo about it.

For information regarding your d…

January 9, 2018

#93: Salvadorans Must Go

On Monday, The Trump administration announced the end of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for El Salvador. 200,000 Salvadorans who have been living and working here legally for decades will now have to leave. What does the administration have …

January 3, 2018

#92: Power Moves

Our first show of 2018 asks: With everything that’s been going on in our government, do we still feel hopeful? Can change really happen, and if so, how? Hosts Maria Hinojosa and Julio Ricardo Varela talk with Eric Liu, founder of Citizen Unive…

December 26, 2017

ENCORE #90: It’s Not as Simple as Sexual Harassment

In The Thick is taking a moment to wish you all a Happy New Year. We will be back with a new episode next week, but in the meantime, here’s an encore presentation of one of our most popular shows of 2017.

Allegations of sexual harassment rock…

December 19, 2017

#74: The Inner Workings of MS-13

Last Friday, President Trump said, “To any member of MS-13 listening, I have a message for you. We will find you, we will arrest you, we will jail you, we will throw you the hell out of the country.” With MS-13 back in the news, we wanted to s…

December 13, 2017

#91: Latino Whiteness (And a Visit to Alabama)

After a Senate race in Alabama that was divided sharply on the lines of race, we discuss the issue of whiteness. Will the United States really become a majority POC country by 2055, or will more Latinos begin to see themselves as white? Maria …

December 7, 2017

#90: It’s Not as Simple as Sexual Harassment

Allegations of sexual harassment have rocked public media newsrooms this week, with WNYC hosts John Hockenberry, Leonard Lopate, and Jonathan Schwartz all accused of inappropriate conduct. But the difficulty of being a woman (and specifically …

November 28, 2017

#89: Liberal Racism

When do liberal values cross over into racism? After the New York Times published a piece that some say humanizes a white nationalist, host Julio Ricardo Varela leads a conversation about these questions with Jamilah King, race and justice rep…

November 21, 2017

#88: #WomenOfColorToo

With all the reports of sexual harassment and sexual assault, why are we hearing from so few women of color in mainstream conversations? And why is it that when they do speak up, they are either ignored or attacked?   Hosts Maria Hinojosa and …

November 14, 2017

#87: Will the Next Black President Be a Republican?

It’s easier than we think for a black candidate to win Republican votes. According to Theodore Johnson, a fellow at New America, Republican voters can be a huge base for POC candidates—all it takes is a little change in strategy.   Hosts Maria…

November 8, 2017

BONUS: POC Strike Back

A wave of POC candidates are swept into office in the 2017 election. One year after President Trump’s victory, we ask, will this new wave last?

Hosts Maria Hinojosa and Julio Ricardo Varela chat about this and more with In The Thick all-star …

November 7, 2017

#86: Do Progressives Take Communities of Color for Granted?

In this special collaborative episode with Thinking Cap, the podcast from the Center for American Progress, we ask progressives, “What have you done for us lately?” Should progressives be doing more to reach out and specifically appeal to comm…

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