01. A Handbook for a Post-Roe America
02. How Censorship and Lies Made the World Sicker and Less Free
03. Heard or Depp? Whom Do You Believe?
04. Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author on Love, Loss and Writing
05. Post-Mother’s Day: Did You Discover Mom Is Declining?
06. May is Mental Health Month: The Truth about Stress
07. Do We Still Need Affirmative Action?
08. The ‘Perfect Storm’ in the Workplace Now
09. She Helps COVID-Traumatized Healthcare Workers Heal
10. What You Still Don’t Know about the Underground Railroad
11. Why We Need More Women in STEM Fields
12. What Asian Americans Wish You Knew about Them
13. Do Elephants Belong in Zoos?
14. How to Live Your Best Life in Your 50s and Beyond
15. Love At First Sight: What’s Behind It?
1. ==> A Handbook for a Post-Roe America
A leak of a draft opinion from the Supreme Court suggests it may overturn Roe v. Wade, allowing states to make abortion illegal. What does that mean for women and their rights? Robin Marty, director of operations at West Alabama Women’s Center in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, says, “We aren’t exaggerating when we say that the legality of abortion is a moment-by-moment thing out here.” She can discuss who will be most affected if Roe v. Wade is overturned and why she is so concerned. “There’s no end to the desperation of people who want to terminate a pregnancy,” says Marty. “If we say that we’re here and willing to provide abortion, they’re ready to risk it. You can tell them it could put them in jail and they’re like, ‘OK, let’s go ahead and do this anyway. Because the alternative is continuing a pregnancy and giving birth when you don’t want to.” Robin Marty is the author of “The New Handbook for a Post-Roe America.” Contact Ruth Weiner at ruth@sevenstories.com; @robinmarty
2. ==> How Censorship and Lies Made the World Sicker and Less Free
Discuss censorship and the pandemic with Joel Simon, a longtime defender of press freedom and a former director of the Committee to Protect Journalists. He says political leaders around the world, including the U.S., took advantage of the pandemic to censor evolving public health information and flood the public with lies. Hear how governments in Iran, China, Russia, India, Egypt, and Brazil, and the Trump White House, were all part of a “wave of censorship… in which governments hijacked the narrative and told their own story.” He notes that declines in press freedom, the health of the information landscape, and in local journalism have been “incredibly destructive in terms of public health response.” He’ll explain that although the pandemic is a global crisis, “it played out in a very local way; people had local questions that required trusted local sources of information –– and that’s often local journalism.” Joel Simon is co-author of the new book “The Infodemic: How Censorship and Lies Made the World Sicker and Less Free.” He is currently a fellow at the Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia University and a senior visiting fellow at the Knight First Amendment Institute. Contact him at JoelSimonSays@gmail.com; @JoelSimonSays
3. ==> Heard or Depp? Whom Do You Believe?
The high-stakes defamation trial of Johnny Depp against Amber Heard has been a parade of sordid, disturbing details from their relationship. It also brings up a lot of questions. Who is telling the truth on the stand? Who has committed domestic violence? Heard? Depp? Both of them? Is the evidence, i.e., therapist session tapes, legal to share? David Glass, a certified family law specialist and former clinical psychologist, can discuss this troubling and very public trial and how it’s likely to resolve. He can explain what constitutes domestic violence and the physical signs that someone is lying on the stand. “I think each of them, to an extent, is coming across as credible,” Glass says. “The end result is the description of an awful relationship with awful behavior on both sides, but which either could have left at any time –– and still they stayed. So, it is more like a sadomasochistic relationship, where each of the parties gets pleasure from either being controlling and abusive, or by being subjugated and abused.” Contact Cherie Kerr at (714) 550-9900; Cherie@KerrPR-ExecuProv.com or Shannon Dugger at (303) 619-3949; Shannon@KerrPR-ExecuProv.com
4. ==> Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author on Love, Loss and Writing
“New Yorker” staff writer Kathryn Schulz is one of the most beloved long-form writers in America. She has written about everything from seismic risk in the Pacific Northwest to the origins of the Muslim community in Wyoming. Her new book “Lost & Found” is an exploration of how our lives are shaped by loss and discovery, and the confounding truth that life is both awful and wonderful, all at once. Schulz can discuss the story of her beloved father, a Jewish refugee who was born in Tel Aviv to Polish parents fleeing the Holocaust, along with the families that make us and the families we make. She’ll share the difficulties of looking for love and the mysteries of love at first sight, and her own story of meeting and falling in love with her future wife. “Lost & Found” grew out of “Losing Streak,” a “New Yorker” story that was anthologized in “The Best American Essays.” Contact Johanna Ramos-Boyer at (703) 646-5137 (office); (703) 400-1099 (cell) or johanna@jrbcomm.com
5. ==> Post-Mother’s Day: Did You Discover Mom Is Declining?
Millions of Americans visited with Mom this weekend and if the celebration included aging relatives you haven’t seen for a while, you may have noticed some changes. Léonie Rosenstiel says those who don’t see a person for months at a time can be better observers of changes over time than those who see someone frequently. “New and concerning developments might include an elder losing track of the conversation in mid-sentence. Or, they simply might have much more trouble than before, navigating the stairs. Maybe a formerly careful driver will report a sudden series of minor and inexplicable fender-benders.” Léonie says these could be warnings of advancing dementia, or they may be solved more easily, with a trip to a doctor, a nutritionist, an oculist or a physical or occupational therapist. She’ll discuss what to do if you’re concerned and where to find help. Léonie is an author, senior advocate and advisor who works to help people navigate the maze of the eldercare system. A frequent media guest who has appeared on radio nationwide and on numerous podcasts, her work has been featured on Yahoo! and in major publications including the “Los Angeles Times” and “Chicago Tribune.” Léonie Rosenstiel’s books include “Protecting Mama: Surviving the Legal Guardianship Swamp.” Contact her at (505) 317-2405; L.rosenstiel1@gmail.com
6. ==> May is Mental Health Month: The Truth about Stress
According to the National Institute of Health, mental illnesses affect tens of millions of American adults each year and only half of those affected receive treatment. With May being Mental Health Awareness Month, the time is right for sharing practical suggestions on how to deal with stress, including using it as a positive influence. Invite D. Terrence Foster, M.D., to share his insights on understanding stress along with dozens of tips to prevent and manage stress and keep it from dominating your life and making you ill. You’ll hear how to use STRESS to ease stress and the impact of rampant stress on society. A practicing physician for more than 25 years, Dr. Foster is the author of several best-selling books including his latest, “The Stress Book: 40-Plus Ways to Manage Stress & Enjoy Your Life.” Contact him at (678) 237-1080; info@dterrencefoster.com
7. ==> Do We Still Need Affirmative Action?
Affirmative action came out of the civil rights movement as a means to address inequalities experienced by minorities. It became law through an executive order made by John F. Kennedy in 1961. With two upcoming cases challenging it before the Supreme Court, now is a good time to discuss affirmative action’s past and future with author Judith Mudd-Krijgelmans (pronounced Kray-gull-mans). Ask her: Is affirmative action reverse discrimination? How effective has it been? Was it always controversial? Does it benefit everyone or just a few? Judith Mudd-Krijgelmans, a Fulbright Scholar, was one of the first Black women in the Foreign Service. A child of educators, she grew up in public housing in the Jim Crow South where Blacks were told they lived in a separate, but equal society. She is the author of “Flowers for Brother Mudd: One Woman’s Path from Jim Crow to Career Diplomat.” Contact Judith at (571) 568-8667; jmuddkrijgelmans@rtirguests.com
8. ==> The ‘Perfect Storm’ in the Workplace Now
When unhappy workers started quitting their jobs in unprecedented numbers the phenomenon was dubbed “The Great Resignation,” but Oreste D’Aversa says yet another shift is occurring as aging baby boomers leave the workforce. “I view this ‘perfect storm’ as creating not so much a revolution, but more of an evolution of the way business needs to hire, retain, and motivate employees so everyone can be content, productive, and prosperous.” Invite the author of “Life Beyond the Pandemic: A Practical New Journey Handbook” on your show and learn how to navigate this evolving world of work. He’ll share his revolutionary step-by-step blueprint to reinvent your life and thrive, explain what people get wrong about happiness and money, and help listeners get unstuck, define their life’s purpose, and be more prosperous in every aspect of life. Oreste D’Aversa is a life and business coach, corporate trainer and all-faith minister. Contact him at (201) 949-3002; odaversa@rtirguests.com
9. ==> She Helps COVID-Traumatized Healthcare Workers Heal
The COVID-19 pandemic affected everyone, but it hit the more than 22 million healthcare professionals in the U.S. (and the 38 million around the world) in a unique and profound way. “The pandemic affected more than life balance, fatigue and emotional health; it struck healthcare workers at the essence of who they are — their soul,” says Katherine Kelly, Ph.D., M.S.P.H. “We will never be the same, but we can be even better than we were before this viral enemy arrived.” Dr. Kelly will discuss the real story behind COVID trauma suffered by RNs, reveal five unspoken truths about celebrated healthcare workers, and share six steps to making healthcare workers whole again. Katherine Kelly is a clinical health psychologist, former director of behavioral science in family medicine and medical school professor. Her new book is “The Healer’s Path to Post-COVID Recovery: A Restorative Journey for Healthcare Workers.” Contact her at (336) 659-3923 (office): (336) 406-8431 (cell); kkelly@drkatherinetkelly.com
10. ==> What You Still Don’t Know about the Underground Railroad
When you think of women who participated in the Underground Railroad the first name that comes to mind is Harriet Tubman. But there were others, of course, including Laura Smith Haviland, a petite, bonnet-wearing white Quaker who welcomed runaway slaves to her family farm in Michigan and was so successful at helping them reach freedom that she had a $3,000 bounty placed on her head. Interview Sheryl White, D.Min., an author and YouTube channel creator, to find out more about Haviland’s life and the lessons we can learn from it that are applicable today. Dr. White’s work of historical fiction is “Underground Angel: The Life of Laura Smith Haviland.” Contact her at (620) 672-1596; sdw1001@gmail.com
11. ==> Why We Need More Women in STEM Fields
Women have excelled in the STEM fields for so long but their accomplishments have often gone unrecognized. In recent years, more and more women, particularly women of color, have finally started to receive the attention they deserve, such as the women featured in the book and movie “Hidden Figures” and Dr. Gladys West, whose work led to the development of the model for the GPS device. “The more women that enter the field and find success, the more role models we’ll have to inspire other young ladies to pursue these fields that require so many talented candidates,” says Chris A. Goldberg Ed.D. He is an award-winning educator and speaker on the subject, and the author of the upcoming book “Aliyah and the STEMsational Problem-Solvers: What’s Cooking?” Contact Chris at (973) 576-5841; cgoldberg@rtirguests.com
12. ==> What Asian Americans Wish You Knew about Them
Last year, Pew Research reported that as many as one-third of Asian Americans feared threats, physical attacks, and violence, a statistic that coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Pilipino American Fatima Bustos-Choy, Ph.D., Asian hate crimes are the epitome of the viciousness and cruelty inflicted on Asian Americans, much of it due to wrong perceptions, interpretations, and beliefs about them. Invite Fatima on your show to set the record straight. Ask her: Why are Asian Americans often overlooked, dismissed, discounted, and misunderstood? How does this play out at work? What core values are shared among Asian Americans from different countries? Is there a “bamboo ceiling?” Fatima is an organization and leadership development consultant, a holistic life coach, and a former wellness center headmaster who spent more than 25 years in corporate management and senior leadership positions, her last assignment was director of learning and development for Citibank California. She is the founder of Inner-centered Consulting: Making a Difference from the Inside Out and the author of an upcoming book, “More Than Money: Five Paths to Abundance and Success for Inner-Centered Entrepreneurs.” Reach her at (818) 209-3775; fbustoschoy@gmail.com
13. ==> Do Elephants Belong in Zoos?
People the world over have a deep affection for the largest land animals, elephants. Currently, only a small percentage of pachyderms remain in the wild. To allow more people to enjoy them, many elephants have been corralled into lives of captivity in zoos and entertainment venues. “In the last century, elephant populations have plummeted by 90 percent due to trophy hunting, poaching, logging, zoos and circus captures,” says author and animal/environmental advocate Georja Umano. “There are alternate ways to enjoy elephants without stripping them of their natural habitats.” Georja spent two years living and working in Kenya and can share why it’s important to preserve elephants’ natural habitats, as well as how these lovable creatures positively impact global ecosystems. She is the author of “Terriers in the Jungle.” Contact her at (213) 568-1764; gumano@rtirguests.com
14. ==> How to Live Your Best Life in Your 50s and Beyond
Author Judy Balloff met and married the love of her life in her 50s and landed her dream job in her 60s. She can share specific tips for living your best life in your later years. “You are definitely not too old to find love; there are five sure-fire steps to finding it,” she says. “I can also show people how to control their thoughts to create their own reality.” In addition, Judy can share how running on autopilot can cut years off of your life, the 12 Universal Laws for living a healthier and happier life and other tips for finding your dream life in your 50s, 60s, and beyond. She is a financial advisor and author of “365 Days of Abundance.” Contact her at (571) 568-8491; jballoff@rtirguests.com
15. ==> Love At First Sight: What’s Behind It?
If you haven’t experienced it yourself you’ve probably seen it portrayed in a movie: two people who have an instant attraction, a soul connection, and a feeling they belong together. Alicia McBride, an empath, psychic, and author of three books, can discuss the powerful emotions behind love at first sight. Whether they are believers or not, your audience will get a kick out of exploring this unusual topic. In an interview, Alicia will say that intense instant attraction may be the result of recognizing someone from a past life, or from one of the participants having psychic abilities even though they may be hidden. She’ll explain that what we think of as love at first sight may not last or even be mutual. Be sure to ask her what happened when she met a man she had pictured in her head for two years. Alicia McBride is the author of “The Empath Effect,” “I Feel Too Much” and “I Love You When.” Reach her at (484) 369-1464; Healinglightempath@gmail.com