For this Friday version of ITT FYI, Maria and Julio answer some emails from our listeners, with an assist from Futuro Media’s Maya Doig-Acuña, who tells us why we missed some big points in our recent Episode 101 Hollywood show. Also, North Kor…

With the Oscars claiming inclusion this year, we wondered: are people of color being represented in the entertainment industry? Julio talks with comedian Elsa Waithe and Felix Sanchez, co-founder of The National Hispanic Foundation for the Art…

Maria and Julio speak with Mexican-American playwright Nancy Garcia Loza to discuss whitewashing in the theater community. They also talk about her new play “Jets, Sharks, and Beckys,” which was inspired by In The Thick! But first, a quick new…

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…

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. …

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 …

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 …

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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.

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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 …

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…

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…

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…

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 …

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 …

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…

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 …