Race & Ethnicity

After ugly comments about Latinos at a Trump rally over the weekend, the spotlight is on that demographic’s changing voting patterns and role in key swing states.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Longtime Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela died on Tuesday at age 63. “Fernandomania” in 1981 left an indelible mark on LA and its Mexican American community.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

“New Wave” is a documentary about Vietnamese refugees leaning into Eurodisco as they built new lives in SoCal after the fall of Saigon. It also speaks to generational trauma and grief.

Vietnamese new wave is armor for refugees to hide behind, says filmmaker

“New Wave” is a documentary about Vietnamese refugees leaning into Eurodisco as they built new lives in SoCal after the fall of Saigon. It also speaks to generational trauma and grief.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Little Saigon’s Vietnamese community has long leaned Republican. Now local Democrat Derek Tran is trying to peel away votes in an OC swing district.

Will a Viet American Democrat unseat GOP in Little Saigon?

Little Saigon’s Vietnamese community has long leaned Republican. Now local Democrat Derek Tran is trying to peel away votes in an OC swing district.

from KCRW Features

Cheech Marin shares highlights from a multi-decade comedy career, parallels between his work and that of filmmaker Robert Altman, and what drew him into art collecting.

Cheech Marin talks art collecting and Robert Altman

Cheech Marin shares highlights from a multi-decade comedy career, parallels between his work and that of filmmaker Robert Altman, and what drew him into art collecting.

from The Treatment

CA Attorney General Rob Bonta has expressed concerns that Latino voters aren’t fairly represented in the city. The LA Times reports he’s urging the council to redraw district maps.

Latino voters could gain political power in LA by 2026 election

CA Attorney General Rob Bonta has expressed concerns that Latino voters aren’t fairly represented in the city. The LA Times reports he’s urging the council to redraw district maps.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

By proving how much money Little Arabia brings to Orange County, advocates got Anaheim to post highway signs pointing travelers to that ethnic neighborhood.

Anaheim’s ‘Little Arabia’ gets signage after decades of advocacy

By proving how much money Little Arabia brings to Orange County, advocates got Anaheim to post highway signs pointing travelers to that ethnic neighborhood.

from KCRW Features

“Colored Television” follows a broke novelist who struggles to write about the mixed race perspective for Hollywood.

Danzy Senna on the anxieties of being racially ambiguous in Hollywood

“Colored Television” follows a broke novelist who struggles to write about the mixed race perspective for Hollywood.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Best-selling author Rumaan Alam’s new novel follows a young Black woman who starts working for an elderly billionaire at his philanthropic foundation, then starts to covet his…

‘Entitlement’ novel tackles race, power, real estate

Best-selling author Rumaan Alam’s new novel follows a young Black woman who starts working for an elderly billionaire at his philanthropic foundation, then starts to covet his…

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

An audio folk story examining the tradition of Black watermelon long-haulers, who drive to farms in the South for watermelon and sell them in Black neighborhoods around the US.

Chasing the Watermelon Man

An audio folk story examining the tradition of Black watermelon long-haulers, who drive to farms in the South for watermelon and sell them in Black neighborhoods around the US.

from Lost Notes

An audio folk story examining the tradition of Black watermelon long-haulers, who drive to farms in the South for watermelon and sell them in Black neighborhoods around the US.

Chasing the Watermelon Man

An audio folk story examining the tradition of Black watermelon long-haulers, who drive to farms in the South for watermelon and sell them in Black neighborhoods around the US.

from Special Programming

The Academy Museum is hosting a film series in honor of James Baldwin. KCRW reairs an interview with the filmmakers of the ground-breaking "I Am Not Your Negro."

Replay: James Baldwin at center of 'I Am Not Your Negro'

The Academy Museum is hosting a film series in honor of James Baldwin. KCRW reairs an interview with the filmmakers of the ground-breaking "I Am Not Your Negro."

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Derek Tran, a Vietnamese American running for California's 45th District, says he’s the only candidate who speaks fluent Vietnamese.

OC candidate claims to speak fluent Viet, his opponent wants answers

Derek Tran, a Vietnamese American running for California's 45th District, says he’s the only candidate who speaks fluent Vietnamese.

from KCRW Features

The documentary “Sugarcane” reveals the painful history of Catholic-run boarding schools in the U.S. and Canada, where thousands of Native children suffered horrific abuse.

Inside the forced separation of Native kids and their parents in US and Canada

The documentary “Sugarcane” reveals the painful history of Catholic-run boarding schools in the U.S. and Canada, where thousands of Native children suffered horrific abuse.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Podcast host and food historian Jessica Gingrich reports on the story of Robert King, who survived 31 years in prison where he cut sugarcane.

The brutal history of sugar cane and the sweet taste of Louisiana pralines

Podcast host and food historian Jessica Gingrich reports on the story of Robert King, who survived 31 years in prison where he cut sugarcane.

from Good Food

This week, Kemi Nekvapil , leadership coach and author of “Power: A Woman’s Guide to Living and Leaving without Apology” shares a couple of power practices that can help women and…

Midweek Reset: Power practices

This week, Kemi Nekvapil , leadership coach and author of “Power: A Woman’s Guide to Living and Leaving without Apology” shares a couple of power practices that can help women and…

from Life Examined

Kamala Harris is half Indian American. What does her heritage mean to her — and Indian communities in the United States?

Can Kamala Harris win back Indian voters?

Kamala Harris is half Indian American. What does her heritage mean to her — and Indian communities in the United States?

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

The city of Stanton wants to tear down much of its Tina-Pacific neighborhood to build more housing. But that effort is illegal, argues a new lawsuit.

Will Latinos unfairly lose their homes due to Stanton’s redevelopment plans?

The city of Stanton wants to tear down much of its Tina-Pacific neighborhood to build more housing. But that effort is illegal, argues a new lawsuit.

from KCRW Features

While food insecurity means not having enough meals, nutrition insecurity is the lack of essential protein, vitamins, minerals, etc. How are different LA communities affected by both?

Beyond hunger: How nutrition insecurity affects Angelenos differently

While food insecurity means not having enough meals, nutrition insecurity is the lack of essential protein, vitamins, minerals, etc. How are different LA communities affected by both?

from KCRW Features

Compton native Channel Tres, known for mixing West Coast rap and classic house, is out with his long anticipated debut album titled “Head Rush.”

On his debut album, Compton’s Channel Tres fuses hip hop and house

Compton native Channel Tres, known for mixing West Coast rap and classic house, is out with his long anticipated debut album titled “Head Rush.”

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand