A Word … with Jason Johnson

Slate Podcasts

  • 40 minutes 28 seconds
    Good to Go-Go

    Many of the American musical genres that began in the Black community get taken over—artistically, financially, or both—by white Americans. Go-go, which traces its roots to the African-American neighborhoods in and around Washington, DC, is an exception. Now a new museum aims to preserve and amplify the essence of go-go, and extend its legacy to the next generation of fans. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Natalie Hopkinson, chief curator of the Go-Go Museum and Cafe Washington, DC, and the author of “Go-Go Live: The Musical Life and Death of a Chocolate City.” They discuss the museum, the history go-go across the region, and its unique role in inspiring resistance to gentrification and erasure of the city’s Black heritage.


    Guest: Professor Natalie Hopkinson, writer and co-curator of the Go-Go Museum in Washington, DC.


    Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola


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    6 December 2024, 8:00 am
  • 30 minutes 44 seconds
    Trump’s Team America: The Sequel

    On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Capital B reporter, Brandon Tensley to discuss Trump’s cabinet picks, and their potential impact on the Black community.


    Guest: Brandon Tensley, Capital B News reporter


    Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola


    Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.

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    29 November 2024, 8:00 am
  • 49 minutes 1 second
    A Mother of a Crisis

    A sizable number of pregnancies end in a loss, whether to miscarriage, still-birth or abortion. But until very recently, discussions of these losses were kept out of public—and policy—conversations. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Colleen Long and Rebecca Little, co-authors of the book, “I’m Sorry for My Loss: An Urgent Examination of Reproductive Care in America.” They share their own stories of pregnancy loss, and what they learned about the range of experience from dozens of interviews for their book. They also offer their insights about why reproductive rights remain popular, even when the politicians who champion them aren’t.


    Guest: Colleen Long and Rebecca Little, co-authors of I’m Sorry for My Loss: An Urgent Examination of Reproductive Care in America.”


    Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola


    Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.

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    22 November 2024, 8:00 am
  • 27 minutes 8 seconds
    The (Small) Winners’ Circle

    Democrats were shut out of power across the board in the House, Senate and the presidency. But for African American voters, new leaders may be emerging from among a handful of winning candidates. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Capital B News reporter Christina Carrega to discuss post-election strategy, and rethinking among Black voters and elected officials about priorities and power in the coming years.


    Guest: Christina Carrega, reporter at Capital B News


    Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola


    Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.

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    15 November 2024, 8:00 am
  • 41 minutes 2 seconds
    Is There Hope After Kamala Harris?

    In the wake of Vice President Kamala Harris’s decisive loss left Democrats despondent, and locked in a cycle of finger-pointing. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson surveys the wreckage with professor and political analyst Niambi Carter. They discuss why so many Democratic operatives failed to read the trends properly, how white women and Latino men supported Trump, and where Black activists and voters go from here.


    Guest: Niambi Carter, political analyst and author of American While Black: African Americans, Immigration, and the Limits of Citizenship.



    Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola


    Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.

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    8 November 2024, 8:00 am
  • 42 minutes 30 seconds
    Star Man: Merlin’s Tour of the Universe

    Neil deGrasse Tyson’s life-long love of science led him to astrophysics and a career as the nation’s premiere voice on making science accessible for all. On today’s episode of A Word, he joins host Jason Johnson for a conversation about the new edition of his book, Merlin’s Tour of the Universe, Revised and Updated for the Twenty-First Century: A Traveler’s Guide to Blue Moons and Black Holes, Mars, Stars, and Everything Far. They also discuss the science in pop culture, the political history of space flight, and why he’s still proud to have led the effort to remove Pluto’s status as a planet.


    Guest: Astrophysicist and author Neil deGrasse Tyson


    Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola


    Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.

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    1 November 2024, 7:00 am
  • 37 minutes 6 seconds
    Invisible Men

    As the race for the White House remains deadlocked, there have been growing Democratic concerns about whether Black male voters are solid in their support for Kamala Harris. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Brandon Tensley, national political reporter for Capital B News. They dissect the truths and myths surrounding Black male voters and the upcoming election. 


    Guest: Brandon Tensley, national political reporter for Capital B News


    Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola


    Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.

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    25 October 2024, 7:00 am
  • 29 minutes 39 seconds
    Snitch Nation

    While conservatives win elections, the popularity of their policies on abortion access, LGBTQ rights, and racial equity remains low in many parts of the country. But conservative political leaders are finding ways to enforce those laws, and encouraging ordinary citizens to inform on each other is a major tactic. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Adam Serwer, the award-winning political essayist at The Atlantic, about how he explored the phenomenon in his recent article “The Rise of the Right Wing Tattletale." 


    Guest: Adam Serwer, staff writer for The Atlantic and author of The Cruelty is the Point: The Past, Present, and Future of Trump’s America. 


    Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola


    Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.

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    18 October 2024, 7:00 am
  • 35 minutes 57 seconds
    WNBA Finals: Shooting Beyond the Stars

    The New York Liberty face the Minnesota Lynx for the championship in what has been a remarkable year for the WNBA. Attendance, attention and viewership skyrocketed. But throughout the season, superstar players Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese were dogged by toxic fans and coverage that was often sexist, racist, and just plain wrong from male sports journalists who knew little about the sport. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson discusses the issues with sports writer David Dennis Jr. of Andscape. They talk about how the action on the court was often overshadowed by off-the-court drama, and what the league can do better next season. 


    Guest: David Dennis Jr., senior writer for Andscape and author of The Movement Made Us: A Father, a Son, and the Legacy of a Freedom Ride.


    Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola


    Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.

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    11 October 2024, 7:00 am
  • 37 minutes 32 seconds
    Latinos for Trump…for Real

    The majority of Latino voters have historically backed Democrats. But former President Donald Trump has polled very strongly around Latino Americans, despite villifying immigrants from Latin America. And several high profile leaders of the American far right are Latino. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson discusses the issue with Paola Ramos. She is an award-winning journalist, political analyst, and the author of Defectors: The Rise of the Latino Far Right and What It Means for America.


    Guest: Paola Ramos, journalist and author of Defectors: The Rise of the Latino Far Right and What It Means for America.


    Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola


    Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.

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    4 October 2024, 7:00 am
  • 34 minutes 21 seconds
    Tech’s Race Reckoning

    Silicon Valley is a place where big ideas are transformed into thriving businesses and multi-billion dollar fortunes. But it has also built a reputation for being a boys club, with limited opportunities, harassment, and sometimes open hostility to women in its workforce. Women of color remain severely underrepresented in the world of Big Tech, with just an estimated 3% of industry jobs held by Black women. So what’s the path ahead for African Americans in Big Tech, and is the prize worth the fight?


    On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson discusses the issue with Bari Williams. She’s a lawyer, a tech entrepreneur, and the author of Seen Yet Unseen: A Black Woman Crashes The Tech Fraternity


    Guest: Bari Williams, attorney and author of Seen Yet Unseen: A Black Woman Crashes The Tech Fraternity


    Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola


    Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/awordplus to get access wherever you listen.

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    27 September 2024, 7:00 am
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