Since a Supreme Court ruling paved the way for college athletes to profit from the use of their name, image, or likeness – NIL for short – athletes are popping up in ads selling everything from protein shakes to air conditioners. Host Michel Martin speaks with Ramogi Huma, founder and President of the National College Players Association, about the hurdles that keep some college players from cashing in, and the future of student compensation. In participating regions, you’ll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what’s going on in your community. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.This episode was produced by Robert Baldwin III. It was edited by Jeanette Woods. Our executive producer is Natalie Winston.
Strippers In The U.S. Want Better Work Conditions. Some Are Trying to Unionize
For the past six months, dancers at the Star Garden Topless Dive Bar in Los Angeles have been striking almost every weekend.
This is because the strippers say they’ve faced unsafe working conditions, including assault and harassment from customers.
After the dancers say they were unable to meet with club managers to discuss their demands and were not allowed to work, they launched an effort to form a union.
This episode also features reporting from NPR’s Brianna Scott and KCRW’s Robin Estrin.
Email us at considerthis@npr.org.
COVID Risk May Be Falling, But It’s Still Claiming Hundreds Of Lives A Day
It’s a strange moment in the pandemic. Mask mandates and other restrictions have all but disappeared. For most vaccinated people, the risk of severe illness has gone way down.
But hundreds of people are dying of COVID-19 every day. For their loved ones, grieving a terrible loss as the country is moving back to normal can be jarring.
Everyday Americans are weighing the threat the coronavirus poses to them. Scientists, too, are debating how dangerous the virus is right now.
NPR’s Rob Stein reports on the debate about whether COVID is more or less dangerous than the seasonal flu.
And Susan Reinhard with the AARP’s Public Policy Institute argues that more still needs to be done to protect nursing home residents.
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With New Counteroffensive, Ukraine Punches Back
Over the past week, the Ukrainian military has retaken thousands of square miles of territory from Russian troops, in a counteroffensive east of Kharkiv. Retreating Russian soldiers left behind tanks and ammunition as they fled.
We’ll hear the stories of Ukrainians who spent months under Russian occupation, and take a look at what the counteroffensive means for the next phase of the war.
This episode also features reporting by NPR’s Ashley Westerman.
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Does Social Media Leave You Feeling Angry? That Might Be Intentional
Social media platforms have helped fuel political polarization and incitements to violence across the globe, from the Rohingya genocide in Myanmar to the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
This is because algorithms consistently select content that evokes anger and outrage from its users to maximize engagement. And sometimes, those extreme emotions turn into extreme actions.
New York Times reporter Max Fisher took a deep dive into the impact of social media in his book, “The Chaos Machine: The Inside Story of How Social Media Rewired Our Minds and Our World.” He shares with us how platform leaders have prioritized profit and growth over safeguards and how the polarizing effect of social media is only speeding up.
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How Owning A Mobile Home Can Leave You On Shaky Ground
A lot of mobile homes aren’t actually that mobile. They’re brought in trucks in big pieces, then screwed together and put up on foundations.
At that point they’re basically just houses, with one major exception: the people who own those houses, if they live in a mobile home park, often don’t own the land underneath them.
That can leave them at the mercy of the big companies that own and manage the mobile home parks.
NPR’s Chris Arnold and Robert Benincasa have the story of a group of residents who are suing their corporate landlord, and what it might say about the mobile home industry in America.
You can read an in-depth version of the story here.
Email us at considerthis@npr.org.
When Fashion Is About More Than Trendy Clothes
Even if you have never walked the red carpet at the Met Gala, or sat in the front row of a Fashion Week runway, the notion of fashion is hard to escape. For some of us, what we wear – whether it’s Gucci or the GAP–is about more than just the clothes on our bodies. Fashion is often about who we are – our ideas, identity, and culture. For those who cover and create fashion, it can be a way to challenge and change the culture in ways that resonate beyond the red carpet and the runway. Host Michel Martin speaks with designer Eileen Fisher, one of the first in the industry to introduce sustainable clothing prodution. She is stepping down as CEO of her self named company after 34 years.Kenya Hunt is stepping into the editor-in-chief role at Elle UK. She is the first Black woman to hold the position. Hunt talks about why she chose Lizzo for the magazine’s September cover. In participating regions, you’ll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what’s going on in your community.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.This episode was produced by Robert Baldwin III. It was edited by Jeanette Woods. Our executive producer is Natalie Winston.
Quiet Quitting: A Loud Trend Overtaking Social Media
Quiet quitting. It’s a buzzy topic in the workplace and on social media, sparked by a viral TikTok video earlier this summer. So what does it mean?
For some workers, it’s simply doing what’s in your job description and nothing more. For others, it’s about setting boundaries and focusing on work-life balance.
Quiet quitting doesn’t actually involve quitting a job. But as workplace culture has changed during the pandemic, many people are re-evaluating their relationship to work and trying to figure out the right balance between their work lives and their personal lives.
We talk to Robyn Garrett, CEO of the leadership company Beamably, and Jhanee Carter, CEO and founder of the HR Queen, about quiet quitting and the impact it’s having on workers and the workplace.
Email us at considerthis@npr.org.
The Life And Reign Of Queen Elizabeth II
Queen Elizabeth II, the monarch of Britain since 1952, died on Thursday at the age of 96. She reigned for longer than any other ruler of the United Kingdom, spanning seventy years and fifteen prime ministers.
NPR’s Frank Langfitt brings us the story of her life and reign, including the ups and downs of the royal family during her tenure.
Email us at considerthis@npr.org.
In Jackson, Mississippi, A Water Crisis Decades In The Making
For more than a month, residents of Jackson, Mississippi, have not had access to safe drinking water. The city is under a boil water advisory after problems with the pumps at the city’s main water treatment plant.
It’s the latest emergency in a city that has had problems with its water system for decades.
We talk to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan about efforts to fix Jackson’s water infrastructure.
This episode also features reporting from NPR’s Cory Turner and Jennifer Ludden.
In participating regions, you’ll also hear a local news segment that will help you make sense of what’s going on in your community. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.