Black Issues Forum

Black Issues Forum

by PBS North Carolina

News Commentary Politics

03/11/22: Better Public Schools, Equal Pay & Jackson’s Credentials

A committee to reimagine public schools is criticized in an op-ed by James Ford of the State Board of Education. Equal pay remains an aspiration for many women, and questions about Supreme Court Justice nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson’s credentials reflect a long-practiced form of racial discrimination. NCAE’s Tamika Walker Kelly, Hey Awesome Girl’s Tivi Jones and strategist Shemekka Ebony join..

03/04/22: Where the US fits in the Ukraine-Russia Puzzle

Following Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky’s pleas for backup and admission to the European Union, President Joe Biden announces sanctions against Russia in his first State of the Union Address. Journalist Mary C. Curtis, political analyst Steve Rao and Sirius XM radio host Dr. Wilmer Leon comment on the effect. Plus questions about racism in reports on Ukraine.

2/25/2022: Redistricting, Representation and Police Racial Bias

A decision on redistricting maps means some wins but more work to do, Black representation in public office sparks a conversation on what it takes to run and a video depicting police racial bias with teens goes viral. Representative Robert Reives, Senator Natalie Murdock, professor La’Meshia Whittington and Michael Stewart-Isaacs of I Am Brilliant join the discussion.

02/18/22: Russia, Inflation and HBCU Bomb Threats

Russia's positioning around Ukraine prompts a strong response from President Biden but to what effect? Russia's next steps will greatly impact already rising inflation, so how is the administration managing the issue and the message? What does the recent wave of HBCU bomb threats tell us? Political Analyst Steve Rao, Attorney Harold Eustache and Dr. Wilmer Leon join the conversation.

2/11/22: A History of Health Service to Black Communities

Advance Community Health celebrating 50 years of service to the historically Black Southeast Raleigh community provides an opportunity to learn more about its connection to St. Agnes Hospital on the campus of Saint Augustine's University. Panelists Scot McCray, Bree Newsome Bass and Dr. Derrick Sauls discuss the important role of Community Health Centers during the pandemic and ongoing challenges.

02/04/22: Black History Month’s Eye on Black Entrepreneurs

For Black History Month, we focus on Black entrepreneurship and discuss some of the hurdles facing Black businesses and best practices for getting over them. In keeping with 2022’s Black History Month Health and Wellness theme, guests also share how they manage their minds and headspace to grow their business. Tivi Jones, Greg Hedgepeth, La’Meshia Whittington and Jason Phillips.

01/28/22: The NC Mutual Legacy Ends; Biden's First Year Wins and Flops

As NC Mutual closes the doors on its 124-year legacy as the cornerstone of Durham's Black Wall Street, Dr. Henry McKoy shares insight on the critical role of Black businesses in Black communities. Mary C. Curtis, Steve Rao and Harold Eustache weigh in on the dismal approval ratings of President Joe Biden and VP Kamala Harris and how they right the ship.

01/21/22: Police Accountability, Virtual Learning and Book Bans

After a car wreck in Raleigh results in the police shooting death of a husband and father, attorney and activist Dawn Blagrove demands police accountability. Senator Natalie Murdock and NCAE's President Tamika Walker-Kelly discuss virtual learning's return following the COVID surge and a growing movement to ban certain books in schools, many by authors of color and the LGBTQ community.

01/14/21: Biden Backs Voting Rights, Not Celebrating MLK & Maya Angelou's Coin

President Biden stands in the "cradle of civil rights" to urge passage of voting rights legislation, but will the symbolism of the moment compare to the impact? The King family clarifies their stance on not celebrating the upcoming MLK holiday, and the Maya Angelou quarter meets varied responses. Attorney Jessica Holmes, Political Analyst Steve Rao and Professor La'Meshia Whittington comment.

12/31/21: A Year End Wrap-Up of 2021's Headlines

Deborah Holt Noel rings in the new year with a wrap-up of 2021, looking back on some of the year’s unforgettable news moments from the January 6th insurrection to Juneteenth and beyond. Senator Natalie Murdock, La'Meshia Whittington, Greg Hedgepeth, Harold Eustache and Dr. DeLon Canterbury join.

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