Undocumented Children in Bell, Amazon TV and Caught in the Crack Epidemic

The mayor of Bell, California, came to the U.S. illegally as a child from Mexico. He talks about his own history and why he’s now working with the Salvation Army to help house undocumented children from Central America. Next, we take a close-up look at Guatemala and how violence and economic destitution there are driving an influx of unaccompanied minors into the U.S. In our weekly television segment we turn to Beverly Hills, where the biannual Television Critics Association press tour is underway. That’s where TV critics get a preview of what’s coming to the small screen, and this fall’s most anticipated shows are coming from an unexpected outlet: Amazon. Then we hear from journalist Ruben Castaneda about his new memoir. It chronicles his experience covering the crack epidemic in the ‘80s and ‘90s, while he was hooked on the drug himself. Finally, we remember Nobel Prize-winning South African author Nadine Gordimer with a literary scholar who knew her personally.

Banner Image: The Usumacinta River. One bank is Guatemala; the other is Mexico. Photograph taken from the Mexican side. Credit: Jacob Rus