A Moment with Erik Fleming

Host Erik Fleming opens the episode with news and housekeeping before interviewing three guests about urgent public issues. He speaks with Charles Gueli, an 80‑year‑old author of Fixing Federal Dysfunction, about gerrymandering, campaign finance, housing, and ways to revive citizen engagement in government.
Alexa Morris joins to share The Courtyard, the intimate Holocaust memoir of her father‑in‑law Benjamin Parket, highlighting neighborly courage, survival in occupied France, and the importance of preserving memory for new generations.
Maritza Perez‑Medina of the Drug Policy Alliance discusses drug policy and criminal justice reform, harm reduction, immigrant and labor impacts of cannabis enforcement, and the need to shift resources from punishment to public health.
The episode ties these conversations together around themes of civic responsibility, human dignity, and practical reforms to strengthen communities and protect rights.

Host Erik Fleming interviews Massachusetts State Senator Lydia Edwards about her journey from public-interest attorney to state senator and National Guard JAG officer, highlighting her work on the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights, the Protect Act, and relief for federal workers during shutdowns.
The conversation also touches on Boston’s rising political cohort, the role of the National Guard, national political strategy ahead of 2026, and recent community tragedies and commemorations that underscore the urgency of justice and accountability.

Host Erik Fleming speaks with four guests about urgent public issues: Jerren Chang on building civic infrastructure and "democracy renovation," Dr. Bhumika Muchhala on decolonial feminist political economy, climate justice, and sovereign debt, and Mason Donovan & Mark Kaplan on workplace policies and their new book The Parenthood Advantage.
The episode explores practical reforms—from civic education and media to fiscal justice and paid parental leave—highlighting ideas to strengthen democratic participation, global economic equity, and family-friendly workplaces.

Host Erik Fleming interviews two Atlanta-area changemakers: Connie Di Cicco on environmental advocacy, data center impacts, and electoral engagement, and Sia Henry on restorative justice, psychedelic-assisted healing, and the Hood Exchange travel program for formerly incarcerated Black youth.
This episode explores community power, policy challenges, and practical efforts to expand imagination, healing, and civic participation.

Host Erik Fleming speaks with historian Dr. Karlos K. Hill about the meaning of Juneteenth, the need to remember slavery honestly, and the case for a national memorial.
Then program manager and author Justin Carter discusses violence prevention, the power of language, and his forthcoming book Translation: From Bigotry to Justice.
The episode also includes news updates and Erik's commentary on current political fights over reparations, public memory, and civic responsibility.

Erik Fleming hosts a powerful episode featuring three guests: Crystal FitzSimons of the Food Research & Action Center on hunger and federal nutrition policy; Pauline Steinhorn, author of Dreaming of the River, sharing her mother and grandmother's Holocaust survival story; and Dehjah Vaughn, a PhD candidate and educator discussing Black political consciousness and education. The episode explores food insecurity, historical memory, racial equity, and youth-led activism.
Listeners hear policy insights, personal narratives, and calls to action for social justice and community care.

Host Erik Fleming speaks with author David Dunaway about his book A Four‑Eyed World — the surprising history, social impact, and future of eyeglasses — and explores how vision, technology and stigma shape culture and politics.
Also featured is community organizer Lakeland Barnes, who discusses her work with SheWill and ReNforce to promote financial literacy, reentry support and civic engagement. The episode closes with reflection on justice, recent local cases, and the importance of voting and community action.

Professor Gloria J. Browne-Marshall introduces Martyrs Day, a new annual remembrance on July 5 to honor protesters and activists who gave their lives advancing social justice in the United States.
The episode also features former Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges on racial equity and civic leadership, and Cecelia Thomas of NMAC on HIV policy, public health advocacy, and organizing to protect vital programs.

Host Erik Fleming interviews Denise Berkhalter-Miller, National Director of Communications for Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), about her Mississippi and Jackson State roots, her career in journalism and public relations, and why entrepreneurship education should be a required part of schools to build durable skills for young people.
The episode also includes Erik’s election-day reflections, news highlights, support for Black podcasters, and calls to civic action—connecting education, community leadership, and political engagement.

Host Erik Fleming speaks with Judge Steve Teske on juvenile justice reform and the school-to-prison pipeline, Dr. Jessica Kriegel on leadership and creating belief-shifting experiences, and Dr. Terri Givens on radical empathy, racial reckoning, and the political backlash following recent court decisions.
The episode explores detention reform, the harms of charging youths as adults, strategies to shift public beliefs through storytelling and culture, and the impact of legal and political moves on representation and voting rights.