America the Voiceless

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All Americans have a voice, but too many Americans face roadblocks when it comes to casting their votes. People who are waiting to become naturalized citizens, people who are undocumented, people who were once incarcerated and so many others are forced to watch from the sidelines as their fellow Americans vote in the next election. The hosts of this podcast, journalists Maria Elena Perez and Nikki Rojas, speak to lawmakers, historians, non-profit leaders and everyday people to unpack the barriers many Americans have to overcome to make sure that their voices are heard during the voting process.

  • 29 minutes 59 seconds
    12: Ep. 12 - Election Night
    In the final episode, hosts Nikki Rojas and Maria Elena Perez will talk about the election results and circle back to the people/organizations that they interviewed to get their perspective on how the election went down.
    5 November 2020, 3:50 pm
  • 20 minutes 28 seconds
    11: Ep. 11 - The Struggles Citizens Face Getting to The Polls
    Maria Elena Perez and Nikki Rojas discuss how difficult it is for some individuals to get to the polls on election day, and what organizations are doing to help get them there so they can express their right to vote. 
    29 October 2020, 10:00 am
  • 19 minutes 21 seconds
    10: Ep. 10 - The Barriers People with Disabilities Face in the Voting Process
    Nikki Rojas and Maria Elena Perez dig into the laws preventing Americans with mental and physical disabilities from getting to the polls.
    20 October 2020, 10:00 am
  • 24 minutes 13 seconds
    9: Ep. 9 - The Lack of Voting Rights in Puerto Rico and Other U.S. Territories
    Maria Elena Perez and Nikki Rojas unpack why Americans living in U.S. territories, such as Puerto Rico, only have the right to vote during the primary elections.
    15 October 2020, 1:23 pm
  • 23 minutes 57 seconds
    8: Ep. 8 - The Tools of Modern-Day Voter Suppression
    Hosts Nikki Rojas and Maria Elena Perez dig into the laws and tactics being used to suppress voters’ rights as Americans prepare to elect their next president. 
    8 October 2020, 5:00 am
  • 19 minutes 41 seconds
    7: Ep. 7 - Native Americans: Their Fight For Voting Rights and Citizenship
    Maria Elena Perez and Nikki Rojas delve into the history of Native Americans, who went from owning the land to being forced to fight for citizenship in the U.S. The hosts also discuss how voter ID laws particularly affect tribal nations.
    1 October 2020, 4:18 pm
  • 19 minutes
    6: Ep. 6 - How COVID-19 Stalled Legal Immigrants’ Dreams to Vote in November
    In the second part of a two-episode look at how the voting process excludes immigrants, Nikki Rojas and Maria Elena Perez discuss how the coronavirus pandemic halted naturalization ceremonies, stopping legal immigrants from being able to vote in the general election.
    24 September 2020, 12:14 pm
  • 19 minutes 21 seconds
    5: Ep. 5 - How the Undocumented Are Overlooked In the Voting Process
    In the first part of a two-episode look at how the voting process excludes immigrants, Maria Elena Perez and Nikki Rojas take a look at how undocumented immigrants can’t vote for the lawmakers responsible for their fate in this country.
    17 September 2020, 10:01 am
  • 21 minutes 19 seconds
    4: Ep. 4 - Can Americans Who Are Currently or Formerly Incarcerated Vote?
    Nikki Rojas and Maria Elena Perez dig into the roadblocks faced by Americans who navigate through the criminal justice system. Americans who have been incarcerated or are currently incarcerated often lose the right to vote and have difficulties regaining that right. We hear from Nicole Porter from The Sentencing Project, Dr. Jane Gubser from Cook County Jail and artist Natti from CunninLynguists.
    10 September 2020, 12:28 pm
  • 26 minutes
    3: Ep. 3 - A Look at the History of Black Voter Suppression
    Maria Elena Perez and Nikki Rojas speak to Black historian and author Dr. Carol Anderson about the turbulent history of Black voter suppression and how those racist systems are still at play today.
    3 September 2020, 12:55 pm
  • 20 minutes 15 seconds
    2: Ep. 2 - Republicans: The Party of Voter Suppression?
    In the second part of a two-episode look at the nation’s two main political parties, Maria Elena Perez and Nikki Rojas discuss instances where the Republican Party has blatantly suppressed voters. We hear from New Georgia Project executive director Nse Ufot and Harvard Kennedy professor Thomas Patterson
    27 August 2020, 4:17 pm
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