In a far-reaching interview, Soledad O’Brien speaks with the multi-talented John Legend about his musical roots and his passion to fix what he calls the “ criminal punishment system.”
Tech in your backyard. This week, Matter of Fact catches up with a trio of entrepreneurs who are building a tech hub in their hometown of Jackson, Mississippi, to create jobs and inspiring a new generation of innovators. Plus, legendary comedian Margaret Cho gets candid about finding her voice and a conversation with composer Andrea Ramsey about how she’s bringing the past to the present.
After more than 150 years of states contributing two statues to Capitol Hill’s Statuary Hall, legendary educator and civil rights leader Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune became the first African American woman to be honored by a state. Born to former slaves, Bethune went on to found a college, champion women’s rights and become an advisor to President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Watch “Chronicle: The Life and Legacy of Mary McLeod Bethune,” right here.
In Brooklyn, a seven-block stretch of businesses is facing down gentrification and online shopping, like so many other communities across the U.S. Now the Tompkins Avenue Merchants Association (TAMA) in Bedford-Stuyvesant, which includes 15 Black owned and 21-female led businesses, share how they’ve been able to keep their businesses and community thriving even in the midst of a global pandemic.
In the last few years, local election officials have experienced unprecedented threats to themselves and their families — leading to fears for their lives and mass resignations. With more than a thousand credible threats reported to the DOJ, Soledad O’Brien speaks with Liz Howard, senior counsel with the Brennan Center for Justice, about the long-term consequences and what more needs to be done to protect them.
Basketball for change. This week, Matter of Fact connects with the Miami Heat basketball team to see how they’re working to bridge relationships between police officers and local communities. Plus, a closer look at the harassment and threats facing local election officials and a behind-the-scenes look at Capitol Hill’s newest statue of legendary educator and civil rights leader Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune.
Following the murder of George Floyd, the Miami Heat basketball team launched a program to bring law enforcement and residents of Miami together to mend relationships through difficult conversations. Jessica Gomez met up with some of these participants and leaders to see how it’s changed relationships.
America’s power grids are facing a stress test. As reports of heat waves and planned blackouts pick up, Matter of Fact takes a closer look at what changes need to be made in order to handle hotter weather and greater demands for electricity. Soledad O’Brien speaks with Jim Robb, CEO of North American Electric Reliability Corporation.
Tens of millions of Americans currently lack affordable, reliable broadband access, impacting their ability to work and study. In the rural South, the percentage of people without an Internet connection is among the highest in the country. Correspondent Dina Demetrius met up with a group of rural Arkansans taking matters into their own hands and working to change this.
Digital deserts. This week Matter of Fact meets with a group of rural Arkansans working to get what millions of Americans already have: an affordable, reliable Internet connection. Plus, a closer look at how equipped the current power grids are to handle heat waves and an interview with WNBA player-turned-owner Renee Montgomery on the importance of Title IX.