April 28, 2020
01. Celebrities Launch #AllAmericans COVID-19 Relief
02. Reopening America: Don’t Discriminate Against Uninfected
03. Creative Ways to Survive the Broken Supply Chain
04. The Teacher is In: Scholastic Help for Parents
05. Famous TV Moms on the Roles That Made Them Household Names
06. This Guest Proves It Doesn’t Take Biology to Make a Mother
07. Why Mothers Matter More Than Ever This Mother’s Day
08. How a Timer, a Calendar, and a Trash Can Will Help Your Relationship During Quarantine
09. Why Churches Are More Important Than Ever During COVID-19
10. How to Doodle Your Coronavirus PTSD Away
11. Driverless Cars Are Coming: How They’ll Change the World
12. Fun Show: Weird Things That Happened on Construction Sites
13. Infodemic Is Doing a Number on People’s Eyes
14. Face Life After Coronavirus by Making Just 2 Choices
15. How to Have Fun with the Fear of Uncertainty
1.==> Celebrities Launch #AllAmericans COVID-19 Relief
Some of the biggest names across entertainment, sports,
politics, music and art have come together to drive
COVID-19 relief for some of the hardest-hit
marginalized communities. Andrew Yang, Dave Chappelle,
Megan Rapinoe and dozens of celebrity leaders have
partnered for The All Americans Movement, a cross-
cultural campaign unifying all Americans to stand
together in support of marginalized communities most
affected by COVID-19. In a statement launching the
movement organizers say: “More than ever, we need to
come together—not out of fear, but out of fellowship;
not out of misplaced nationalism, but out of
recognition of shared struggle and common bonds; not
just to survive this crisis, but to help make our
nation more like what we aspire it to be.” Driven by
nearly 100 volunteer partnerships between independent
businesses, nonprofit organizations, and multicultural
leaders, businesses are selling #AllAmericans-inspired
products whose proceeds will go towards medical relief,
combatting racism, and economic stimulus. Nonprofit
organizations are working to provide resources and
funds to empower marginalized communities and
multicultural leaders are launching a social media
campaign to demonstrate that We Are #AllAmericans. To
book an interview with a spokesperson and find out more
about the movement, contact publicity@allamericans.us
2. ==> Reopening America: Don’t Discriminate Against
Uninfected
Could barring people who were never sick from returning
to work and school perversely incentivize getting
COVID-19? That’s the question David Scheffer poses as
the U.S. grapples with reopening the country. Scheffer
says, “Even in the best of scenarios, a vaccine would
not be ready until well into 2021—if not longer. So the
question we need to grapple with now is how to
reintegrate the hundreds of millions of people who are
complying with the shelter orders and continue to test
negative for COVID-19.” He says people should not be
punished for having followed the rules by remaining at
home and out of work and that the dilemma is even
further worsened if the criterion required for “back to
work” or “back to school” is a certification of
immunity based upon antibody testing. He says planners
should labor under the assumption that the uninfected
need to have a pathway back into an open society. He
adds, “Whatever is devised, it should address
pragmatically the fate of the uninfected so that they
have hope of not only surviving, but also working and
being educated again as a vaccine is being developed
for widespread use.” David Scheffer is the Mayer
Brown/Robert A. Helman professor of law and the former
director of the Center for International Human Rights.
Contact him at (312) 503-2224; d-
scheffer@law.northwestern.edu
3. ==> Creative Ways to Survive the Broken Supply Chain
Meat suppliers are warning chicken and beef may soon be
in short supply as they close their processing plants
because employees are coming down with the coronavirus.
It’s just the latest kink in our supply chain. Kim
Green, owner of a food co-op in Colorado, saw firsthand
how our food supply was compromised weeks before the
COVID-19 lockdowns were implemented. Wholesale
suppliers were out of normal goods they never run out
of. Not just toilet paper, but life-giving goods like
medicinal herbs, supplements and everyday things our
bodies need to survive. Invite Kim on your show and
learn creative ways to circumnavigate the supply chain.
Hear how to grow an indoor garden in an apartment,
become self-sufficient even as a city dweller, make
your own fertilizer from fish scraps, save and preserve
foods and grow your own medicinal herbs along with
which ones you must have in your medicine cabinet. Kim
Green is founder of The Wellness Way (R)Evolution, a
comprehensive program to educate people about holistic
practices that are in danger of being forgotten. The
longtime host of her own wellness and inspirational
radio show, Kim is also the author of several e-Books
including “Old Time Ways & Little-Known Remedies.”
Contact her at (719) 231-5715; kimmgreen2@msn.com
4.==> The Teacher is In: Scholastic Help for Parents
School is shut for millions of kids and parents are now
responsible for teaching their children. For many, it’s
a daunting experience, but Lauren Tarshis, editor-in-
chief of Scholastic Classroom Magazines says help is
available, for free. Scholastic designed the Learn at
Home program to support teachers and parents by
providing them with rich stories and meaningful
projects to keep kids academically active. Tarshis
says, “Our hope is that even though daily routines are
being disrupted and students may not have valuable time
in school with their educators, together we can support
meaningful learning at home while it is necessary.” The
program provides approximately three hours of learning
opportunities per day from preschool through the high
school level. Activities include writing and research
projects based on nonfiction articles and stories,
virtual field trips, reading and geography challenges,
and more. Accessible on all devices, including
smartphones, and with no sign-up required, the
activities are flexible and use writing materials
students have readily available at home—no printing
required. Editors have also launched a collection of
kid-friendly resources for learning about coronavirus.
Scholastic is a global children’s publishing,
education, and media company. Contact Anne Sparkman at
(212) 343-6657; asparkman@scholastic.com
5. ==> Famous TV Moms on the Roles That Made Them
Household Names
Hollywood mothers: The term brings to mind images
ranging from Mrs. Brady to Mommy Dearest. If you are of
a certain age you probably grew up with a roster of
potentially perfect TV matriarchs with last names like
Brady, Partridge, Cleaver, Walton, Ingalls and
Cunningham. Interview your favorite TV moms about their
lives on-screen and off, what it’s like to play a
beloved mom, and how those motherly roles affected
their careers. Marion Ross (Happy Days), Michael
Learned (The Waltons), Karen Grassle (Little House on
the Prairie), Ilene Graff (Mr. Belvedere) and Dee
Wallace (The New Lasse and ET: The Extraterrestrial)
are all available for interview. Contact Harlan Boll at
hboll@rtirguests.com
6. ==> This Guest Proves It Doesn’t Take Biology to
Make a Mother
Just in time for Mother’s Day, May 10, Mikki Shepard
can deliver a feel-good show on the joys of
nontraditional motherhood experienced by women who
choose to be mothers to children and babies with whom
they do not share DNA. Mikki, who adopted her son CJ as
an infant and is the author of “In a Heartbeat: The
Miracle of a Family That Was Meant to Be,” can talk
about the challenges and opportunities of adoption and
bust the myths that prevent more couples and birth
mothers from choosing it. She can also share the
amazing story of coincidences and serendipity that led
her to adopt CJ and the lesson her stepfather taught
her about what it means to be a family that changed her
life. A Realtor by profession, “In a Heartbeat” is her
first book. Contact Mikki at (938) 222-4650;
mshepard@rtirguests.com
7. ==> Why Mothers Matter More Than Ever This Mother’s
Day
At a time when many people will not be able to give
their mothers an in-person hug or kiss, invite
parenting expert Emily Slingluff on your program to
reveal the four huge ways mothers matter in their
children’s lives—perhaps more than ever. She can also
answer such questions as are mothers more important
than fathers? Do children suffer when their mother does
not stay at home with them full time? What role do
mothers play in reducing hate? Emily has been writing
about the importance of mothers for 30 years. She was
named Fulltime Homemaker of the Year for the State of
Virginia by Phyllis Schlafly and Eagle Forum shortly
after her first book came out. Her newest book is
“Choosing Happiness.” She is a graduate of Sweet Briar
College with a degree in government and economics and
was an assistant editor at The Virginia-Pilot. Contact
her at (757) 800-0246; eslingluff@rtirguests.com
8. ==> How a Timer, a Calendar, and a Trash Can Will
Help Your Relationship During Quarantine
You’re feeling trapped, anxious, and lonely at home,
next to your partner who is equally mad and sad. What
if you could prevent your relationship from going bad
to ugly during quarantine? What if you could win back
the love and passion that bought you together in the
first place? Discover how three simple things (a timer,
a calendar and a trash can) can boost your relationship
in this fun and informative show with Ivy Ge, Ph.D., a
multi-genre author. Dr. Ge’s books empower women to
pursue self-growth outside the role of caregivers. “The
Art of Good Enough: The Working Mom’s Guilt-Free Guide
to Thriving While Being Perfectly Imperfect” and “Life
Transformational Journal” are her latest books. Contact
Dr. Ivy Ge at (415) 326-3655; Contact.Ivy.Ge@gmail.com
9. ==> Why Churches Are More Important Than Ever During
COVID-19
Like many other businesses and institutions, the
COVID-19 pandemic social distancing mandate has
presented great challenges for houses of worship that
are dedicated to helping the most vulnerable among us.
“When the motto of the day becomes, ‘Stay at home and
save a life,’ we become insular,” says Rev. Raleigh
Sadler. Raleigh can share safe, creative ways to
identify and aid the most vulnerable without putting
others and ourselves at risk. He’ll explain how we can
safely help local nonprofits working with vulnerable
populations, how to stay connected via video chats
through Zoom or FaceTime, how to aid elderly neighbors,
and more. Raleigh is founder of the human trafficking
awareness group Let My People Go, and author of
“Vulnerable: Rethinking Human Trafficking.” Contact
Raleigh at (917) 341-6758; RSadler@rtirguests.com
10. ==> How to Doodle Your Coronavirus PTSD Away
Most people today are feeling some degree of overwhelm
as daily routines are suspended and social distancing
becomes the norm. But, according to Carol Edmonston,
aka The Doodle Lady, there is a unique, simple and
creative way to deal with this intense stress: take
some paper, a pencil or pen and … doodle! The niece
of the late cartoonist and children’s book author Syd
Hoff, who wrote “Danny and the Dinosaur” and “Sammy the
Seal,” among others, Edmonston says doodling is a fun
form of mindfulness which allows our spirits to rest,
recover and regroup. Edmonston, who attributes
overcoming breast cancer twice to what she calls her
doodling therapy, has just released the pioneering new
book “The Healing Power Of Doodling: Mindfulness
Therapy To Deal With Stress, Fear & Life Challenges.”
Contact her at (714) 609-4654; info@TheDoodleLady.com
11. ==> Driverless Cars Are Coming: How They’ll Change
the World
For decades we have tried to build a car that will
drive itself, but what will happen when self-driving
technology impacts buses, bikes, delivery vans, and
even buildings? Invite urban planner Anthony Townsend
to provide a new look at the near-future integration of
autonomous vehicles into society—where technology will
not only transform life behind the wheel but
revolutionize industry and infrastructure. Townsend
will explain how our cities and towns will change as we
embrace new ways to get around. You’ll hear how
autonomous vehicles will deliver goods and transport
people, making the future as much about moving stuff as
it is about moving us. He’ll also discuss concerns
about mobility monopolies and privatization of “the
curb.” Townsend’s new book is “Ghost Road: Beyond the
Driverless Car.” Contact Johanna Ramos Boyer at (703)
646-5137; (703) 400-1099 (cell); johanna@jrbcomm.com or
Erin Bolden at (703) 646-5188
12. ==> Fun Show: Weird Things That Happened on
Construction Sites
Most of us love to watch new buildings going up.
There’s something about the whole process and the
cranes, earthmovers, and daredevil nature of scaffold
climbing that appeals on a primal level. That same
fascination is likely to extend behind-the-scenes to
the unusual things that actually happen on construction
sites; particularly when matched with the storytelling
skills of 40-year construction professional Charles
(Charlie) Garner. He’ll entertain your audience with
true stories from his career that began right after
high school and literally started off with a bang. Ask
him: Why was it necessary for you to kill six poisonous
snakes a day in the swamps of Louisiana? What happened
to the worker who fell into a tank of raw sewage? What
strange incident occurred on the first day of your
first job? Charlie is a senior project manager for a
large construction company in Atlanta and is a civil
engineer who has worked in heavy construction for 40
years. His memoir “I Got This” contains amazing
adventure stories from his life and career. Contact
Charlie at (650) 995-5626;
charlesgardner@rtirguests.com
13. ==> Infodemic Is Doing a Number on People’s Eyes
From cellphones to tablets to TV screens and laptops,
more of us are spending additional hours staring at
screens, risking eye strain, and worse. How can we
protect our vision now to avoid problems later? In the
blink of an eye, get the answer from vision educator
Linda Odubayo Thompson. Just in time for Healthy Vision
Month in May, she can talk about everything from
artificial tears to resting your eyes, to cutting down
on screen time and when to see an eye doctor. She can
also debunk five misguided myths about eyesight. As the
child of visually impaired parents, Linda knows not to
take her vision for granted; she has suffered from
glaucoma for more than 30 years. Contact Linda at (914)
229-9184; lthompson@rtirguests.com
14. ==> Face Life After Coronavirus by Making Just 2
Choices
All things in life—our challenges, decisions, and
efforts—involve making “Just 2 Choices.” Do we answer
yes or no? Do we move ahead or stay put? Do we like or
dislike something? Even as the pandemic forces many
changes on society, we can still be empowered and even
comforted by this binary concept. That’s the message of
radio host Rico Racosky, author of the bestselling book
“Just 2 Choices,” who will help your listeners navigate
today’s new reality. Whether he’s talking about moving
your life from uncertainty to clarity (When will it be
safe to go out? Will our jobs ever be the same?) or
replacing doubt with peace of mind (believing that
we’ll return to the familiar, the fun and the free)
rests with two options to choose from. Known as
America’s “New Story Guy,” Rico can also help listeners
obtain his free downloads that promote clear thinking.
Contact (730) 572-1322; rracosky@rtirguests
15. ==> How to Have Fun with the Fear of Uncertainty
According to Laura Di Franco, we can either choose to
accept the gifts we’ve been given during this pandemic
or we can choose to suffer. She’ll explain how to have
fun with the fear of uncertainty and why she thinks
that’s the key to our success right now. Invite her on
your show and learn how to cultivate pandemic
positivity and see the possibilities in the future. She
says, “When the whole world is in crisis together, the
people of the world will finally understand what
matters, and everything else will fall away. That’s
what I think has happened, and is still happening, as a
result of putting ‘normal’ on hold to survive. It’s a
grand awakening, re-prioritizing, and fine-tuning of
our life’s purpose.” Laura Di Franco, MPT, is a
holistic physical therapist, owner of Brave Healer
Productions, and the author of many books including the
upcoming “The Ultimate Guide to Self-Healing
Techniques: 25 Home Practices & Tools for Peak Holistic
Health and Wellness.” Contact her at (703) 915-3653;
bewarriorlove@gmail.com
Don’t see any guests or topics for your show? Search
through past RTIR Newsletters and find hundreds of show
ideas and possible guests at www.rtironline.com
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