Zócalo's Connecting California

Zócalo's Connecting California

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5 min

Every week, Zócalo columnist and fourth-generation Southern Californian Joe Mathews talks to Morning Edition host Chery Glaser about 21st-century California's people, politics, trends and idiosyncrasies.

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California’s long history of mass incarceration may have finally reached an inflection point.

Billions are being spent to transition to online education that isn’t teaching our kids very much. What if we used that money to fight the pandemic?

Coronavirus has taken away a lot of what Los Angeles has to offer...but at least it’s taken traffic jams with it.

Karen Bass is among a new generation of leaders who have risen from South L.A.’s Community Coalition.

Governor Newsom’s verbal dexterity has been on glorious display during his daily coronavirus updates, but not everyone is listening.

When the going gets weird, put on a mask, and revel in it.

If the federal government won’t fix the U-S Constitution, California ought to write its own.

Sacramento has been siphoning authority from local California communities for decades.

More from KCRW

The Pac-12 conference has decided to postpone all sporting events for the rest of the year. That means no soccer, no volleyball, and no football.

from Greater LA

"Do we think our little white asses are the only ones that matter? No!" the singer, songwriter, philanthropist and businesswoman told the music magazine.

from NPR

Republican Marjorie Taylor Green won a close primary runoff in Georgia this week. That likely guarantees she’ll win the congressional seat in November.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

The Latest

KCRW talks about Kamala Harris’ family history, influences, and rise in politics — with Melanie Mason, who’s covering the 2020 presidential campaign for the LA Times.

Kamala Harris’ backstory and who influenced her policy views

KCRW talks about Kamala Harris’ family history, influences, and rise in politics — with Melanie Mason, who’s covering the 2020 presidential campaign for the LA Times.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Kamala Harris is both the first Black woman and the first South Asian woman to appear on a major party’s presidential ticket. Her mother is Indian.

What it means for Indian Americans that Kamala Harris is on a major party’s presidential ticket

Kamala Harris is both the first Black woman and the first South Asian woman to appear on a major party’s presidential ticket. Her mother is Indian.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Kamala Harris is both the first Black woman and the first South Asian woman to appear on a major party’s presidential ticket. Her mother is Indian and her father is Jamaican.

Kamala Harris’ backstory and impact on the Indian American vote

Kamala Harris is both the first Black woman and the first South Asian woman to appear on a major party’s presidential ticket. Her mother is Indian and her father is Jamaican.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Initial unemployment claims had been above 1 million for 20 straight weeks. The total receiving unemployment also dipped, to 28.3 million, as of July 25.

New jobless claims dip below 1 million for 1st time since March

Initial unemployment claims had been above 1 million for 20 straight weeks. The total receiving unemployment also dipped, to 28.3 million, as of July 25.

from NPR

The damage done to independent live music by the pandemic has been catastrophic – and a future where it thrives will, regardless and inevitably, arrive.

How live music is coping, and what the near future will bring

The damage done to independent live music by the pandemic has been catastrophic – and a future where it thrives will, regardless and inevitably, arrive.

from NPR

This week, the campaign for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, former vice president Joe Biden announced Kamala Harris as his running mate.

This Week in Weed: Kamala Harris’s record on cannabis

This week, the campaign for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, former vice president Joe Biden announced Kamala Harris as his running mate.

from KCRW Features

The video app TikTok has been downloaded nearly 2.5 billion times around the world. In the U.S. alone, it has been downloaded more than 100 million times.

Trump bans TikTok and WeChat. What does this mean for employees and users?

The video app TikTok has been downloaded nearly 2.5 billion times around the world. In the U.S. alone, it has been downloaded more than 100 million times.

from Greater LA

The Trump administration announced last week that the 2020 Census count would end a month early on September 30, raising concerns among Census takers and community groups about an…

Could there be a Census undercount in Boyle Heights?

The Trump administration announced last week that the 2020 Census count would end a month early on September 30, raising concerns among Census takers and community groups about an…

from Greater LA