01. The Unsung Sheroes of 9/11
02. If a Fetus Is a Person …
03. Bacha Posh: Afghan Girls Living as Boys
04. The Forgotten Jews of the Forest
05. Willard Scott and a PR Campaign for Jewish Penicillin
06. Interview an Emmy-Nominated Stunt Actor
07. Emmy-Nominated Pro: Behind TV’s Best Visual Effects
08. Critical Race Theory -What It Is and Why It Matters
09. Help for Stressed-Out, Anxious Students
10. Adoption Fact vs Fiction
11. It’s Time to Rethink ‘Senior Living’
12. The Biggest Myths about Happiness
13. Vacation Stories: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
14. Where’s the Peace You’ve Been Looking for?
15. Go Ahead and Run Away – Live and Work in Paradise
1.==> The Unsung Sheroes of 9/11
Little is known about the Black presence at Ground Zero on 9/11, especially the women. This year, on the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks, five Black women who continue to work for 9-1-1 and the NYPD are being honored. Rev. Dr. Suzan D. Johnson Cook (aka Ambassador Sujay), was an NYC Police Dept. chaplain on the frontlines when the Twin Towers fell. And there were 9-1-1 operators and dispatchers who were on the phone lines trying to save lives, keeping people hopeful until help came, or they jumped or burned to death. Invite Ambassador Sujay to discuss these women and how they displayed faith, courage and fortitude, brilliance and resilience, and until now have never been publicly acknowledged. The New York Times calls Ambassador Sujay “Oprah and Billy Graham rolled into one.” Her organizations, Women on the Worldstage (W.O.W.) and Our Daily Bread Ministries (ODB) have been presenting The Unsung Sheroes Awards since 2014. Ambassador Sujay has worked with two presidents, officiated at the funeral services for her mentor and godmother, civil rights legend Coretta Scott King, and authored more than a dozen books including her latest, “My Fabulous Fifth Chapter” and “Rhythms of Rest.” Contact Harlan Boll at (626) 296-3757; harlan@bhbpr.com
2. ==> If a Fetus Is a Person …
A Texas state law that bans abortion after as early as six weeks into the pregnancy could provide the playbook for red states to pass extreme abortion restrictions — without having to wait for the Supreme Court to revisit Roe v. Wade. But law professor Carliss Chatman says when states define natural personhood to overturn Roe v. Wade, they are inadvertently creating a system with two-tiered fetal citizenship. “In a post-Roe world, in states like New York that ensure the right to choose through their constitutions and statutes, citizenship will begin at birth. In states that move the line to define life as beginning as early as conception, personhood and citizenship will begin as soon as a woman knows she is pregnant.” She asks, “If a fetus is a person at six weeks pregnant, is that when the child support starts? Is that also when you can’t deport the mother because she’s carrying a U.S. citizen? Can I insure a six-week-old fetus and collect if I miscarry? Just figuring if we’re going there, we should go all in.” Carliss Chatman is an assistant professor at Washington and Lee University School of Law. She has appeared on CBS News and CBS Radio, and has written for the Washington Post, CNN.com and Slate. Contact her at (540) 458-5352; professorcchatman@gmail.com
3. ==> Bacha Posh: Afghan Girls Living as Boys
The last time the Taliban ruled Afghanistan, after the Soviet-Afghan War of the 1980s, life for women and girls was ghastly. So what will happen to them now that the U.S. has left the country and the Taliban is once again in power? In 2010, Jenny Nordberg broke the story of “bacha posh” — how girls grow up disguised as boys in gender-segregated Afghanistan. Nordberg can discuss the future for women in the country as well as the ancient practice of bacha posh, what happens when girls become women, and why she believes the tradition will continue, especially under Taliban rule. Jenny Nordberg is a New York-based Swedish investigative reporter and author. Her cross-border investigation was published in The New York Times and The International Herald Tribune and expanded into the book “The Underground Girls of Kabul: In Search of a Hidden Resistance in Afghanistan.” Nordberg regularly lectures on gender and investigative journalism and has appeared on NPR, WNYC, MSNBC and other media outlets discussing her work. Contact her via twitter at @nordbergj
4. ==> The Forgotten Jews of the Forest
More than 75 years after the end of World War II, we are familiar with well-established accounts of what happened to Europe’s Jews during the Holocaust. They mounted ghetto uprisings; they hid in the homes of their Christian neighbors; and, of course, they were sent to Nazi concentration camps and perished in the gas chambers. Only recently, we’ve begun to hear more about the roughly 25,000 Jews who survived the war in the woods of Eastern Europe. Rebecca Frankel’s new book, “Into the Forest: A Holocaust Story of Survival, Triumph and Love,” tells the story of how the Rabinowitz family survived the Holocaust by fleeing into the Lipiczany Forest. Frankel says there weren’t many of these families and their stories were rarely written down but “they illustrate another means by which Jews sought to survive their darkest time in modern history — by relying on grit and determination, oftentimes on each other, and in rarer instances on local farmers and landowners.” Rebecca Frankel is a longtime editor and journalist. She’s been a guest on Conan, PBS NewsHour, and BBC World News and her work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic and other publications. Contact Katie Bassel at katie.basel@stmartins.com
5. ==> Willard Scott and a PR Campaign for Jewish Penicillin
Fans and colleagues are remembering retired NBC weather forecaster Willard Scott, who died this weekend at 87 years old. Advertising pro Tom Madden says he, like most PR veterans, has a Willard Scott story and it’s quite a doozy. “The longtime comic weatherman on the Today show put entertainment and clownish laughter and his own brand of shtick into his forecasts and one of them resulted in one of the biggest PR coups I ever had in my career!” Madden says it started with him watching Scott (the spokesman for Contact cold medicine) on TV as Scott was recovering from the flu. As he tells it, he had his client, a Jewish deli in Brooklyn, send a bowl of chicken soup to the NBC studio, which the weatherman slurped on-air, in the deli’s signature mug. The stunt grew and pit Jewish penicillin against Madison Avenue, making front-page headlines that eventually involved local politicians, comedian Henny Youngman and Jewish grandmothers. Tom Madden is the founder and CEO of TransMedia Group. Contact Justin Baronoff at (561) 750-9800; justin@transmediagroup.com
6. ==> Interview an Emmy-Nominated Stunt Actor
This year, for the very first time, the Television Academy will hand out an Emmy Award for outstanding stunt performance. And although there are other women nominated as part of a team, Janeshia Adams-Ginyard is the only woman to receive a nomination as an individual for her work in the HBO series “Lovecraft Country.” Invite her on your show and find out what it’s like to work in the predominantly male field of stunt work as well as how she got into the business. An actress, stunt woman and professional wrestler, Janeshia has had major roles on commercial, television, and film projects and has worked alongside some of Hollywood’s biggest superstars. She is probably best known for her role as Nomble, one of the Dora Milaje, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film “Black Panther,” and found out about her Emmy nomination while on the set of her latest project, an untitled Marvel Production. She is also the founder Hyphy 4 Christ, Inc., a faith-based entertainment organization. Contact Jerome Brooks at jerome@brookstm.com
7. ==> Emmy-Nominated Pro: Behind TV’s Best Visual Effects
Ever wonder how they create the special effects on your favorite TV shows? Go behind the scenes with Emmy-nominated visual effects expert Ryan Freer from Monsters Aliens Robots Zombies (MARZ). Freer is up for two Emmys next month for his work on visual effects on the shows “WandaVision” and “The Umbrella Academy.” He can discuss those projects and what he’s working on for the upcoming fall TV season. Monsters Aliens Robots Zombies (MARZ) is a tech company and VFX studio that focuses exclusively on premium TV. Contact Virginia Chavez at (415) 939-8318 (cell)
8. ==> Critical Race Theory -What It Is and Why It Matters
With America’s children back in the classroom, will they be taught that white people are oppressors and that America is a systemically racist country? Are these really tenets of Critical Race Theory and if so, what organization is behind the push to indoctrinate school children in it? At least six states introduced bills that aim to place limitations on lessons about race and inequality being taught in American schools; should more states follow? Discuss this timely topic with Tamara Lashchyk and Jacqueline Toboroff, hosts of “The Bo Peep Podcast,” which probes the answers to questions that we are afraid to ask. Their podcast has already tackled this topic. Tamara Lashchyk has been interviewed by the BBC and featured in Huffington Post. A career coach, author, and former Wall Street executive, she recently ran for the New York State Assembly. Jacqueline Toboroff is a candidate for New York City Council (D1) and a parent and life-long resident of Manhattan. Contact Tamara Lashchyk at (848) 373-3543; TLashchyk@rtirguests.com
9. ==> Help for Stressed-Out, Anxious Students
The back-to-school season always brings with it emotional stress and anxiety for children, but this year brings even more stress, uncertainty and fear. Former teacher Peggy Sideratos will share seven simple strategies that adults can use with children to help them better handle emotional stress. She says, “Children are not inherently born with a skillset of knowing how to handle difficult emotions, they must be taught and modeled for them.” Your listeners can also download Sideratos’ advice to have on hand to help them create a positive shift in their kids’ mindsets and emotions and help support them through some of the most difficult challenges. Peggy Sideratos is the author of “The Light Giver Stories,” a series of children’s stories and corresponding lessons that reinforce the values of good character and self-esteem along with strategies to empower kids to better handle negative emotions. Contact Peggy Sideratos at (718) 833-3100 (until 9/8); (917) 715-8788 (after 9/8) or perdika1@yahoo.com
10. ==> Adoption Fact vs Fiction
Many childless couples and single people who wish to become parents opt to adopt. But they often find themselves navigating through a minefield of red tape, overwhelming expenses, complex laws and emotional turmoil. “Some people believe that the ‘waiting period’ between the time a birth parents’ rights have been terminated and the adoption is final is to allow the birth parents to change their mind,” Mikki Shepard says. “But it’s actually for the adoptive parents.” She adds, “Those who refer to putting a child up for adoption as ‘giving up a child’ are misinformed. It is the greatest gift a birth parent can give to a child when they feel they can’t take care of a baby at the time. It’s a rewarding gift of love to give a child life without second-guessing her decision forever. It creates a family based on love and respect.” As an adoptive mom who was adopted herself as a child, Mikki can also discuss laws regarding independent and international adoption, what expenses to expect, the “nature versus nurture” myth and more. Mikki is the author of “In a Heartbeat: The Miracle of a Family That Was Meant to Be.” Contact her at (938) 222-4650; mshepard@rtirguests.com
11. ==> It’s Time to Rethink ‘Senior Living’
According to an AARP survey, 77% of people over 50 say they would like to “age in place” and health experts say it can afford them the greatest span of good health and quality of life. But Linda Mac Dougall’s experiences as a holistic health practitioner and certified massage therapist have opened her eyes to the unmet needs of older Americans. “I want things to change. Seniors don’t have to get so sick and die. We can live long and healthy lives. It is a waste of human potential and costs individuals and this country way too much in so many ways to keep doing what we are doing.” Mac Dougall will discuss the need for more in-home services and what those services might be, as well as creative ways to fill those jobs. Listeners will hear how seniors are often endangered and harmed by improperly fitted walkers, canes and wheelchairs and learn what senior living communities have in common with special needs populations and why a nursing plan alone is insufficient. Linda Mac Dougall’s new book is “The SPIRIT Method of Massage for Seniors: Raising the Bar.” Contact her at (805) 202-6379; speakerholistic@gmail.com
12. ==> The Biggest Myths about Happiness
You might be surprised to learn that despite a history of childhood sexual assault, institutional racism, domestic violence, divorce and single parenting, Trish Ahjel Roberts is a happiness expert. “One of the most common misconceptions about happiness is that it’s based on your situation,” she explains. Roberts, founder of Mind-Blowing Happiness LLC and Black Vegan Life™, can explain how your listeners can experience mind-blowing happiness no matter what’s going on in their world, or the world at large. The self-actualization coach says, “The trick is learning to find joy even when things aren’t going your way. That could be when the job, home, or relationship isn’t working out. For the country, that could be when we are experiencing trauma as a nation or not living up to our own ideals as Americans.” While Roberts’ business is focused on personal development, she has a diverse background including finance, economics, yoga and Buddhism. She is an MBA, certified life coach, and yoga and meditation instructor. Contact her at (917) 887-3689; hello@trishahjelroberts.com
13. ==> Vacation Stories: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Vacations are supposed to be our time to unpack, unwind and refresh, but trips don’t always go as planned. As we all share out summer stories – good and bad – invite Mary Oves to share her own travel disasters. As a woman who traveled with a sick husband for 25 years, she’s had plenty of adventures and can talk about what she learned from her experiences, how that’s changed how she now prepares for a trip, and ways to make the best of a difficult situation while away from home. She says, “My friends used to show me their family vacation pictures in Disney parks, the Grand Canyon and Central Park. My family’s photo album also had those pictures, but also a different kind — pictures in front of wrecked rental cars, waiting in emergency rooms, and sitting in ambulances!” Oves’ writing has appeared in the New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, the Erma Bombeck Humor website and many other publications. She teaches English at Stockton University. She’s the author of “The Chrysalis Collective.” Contact Mary Oves at (609) 408-8762; maryoveschrysaliscollective@gmail.com
14. ==> Where’s the Peace You’ve Been Looking for?
Most of us eagerly awaited 2021, hoping for more peace and prosperity in our lives. Now that we’re more than halfway through the year, some may feel that things haven’t really changed much. Donna Melanson says big changes don’t occur without some practice. She says, “We get good at what we practice whether it is public speaking, riding a bike, or learning anything new. You don’t just wake up one day and become like the Buddha. Practicing peace needs to be a non-negotiable daily commitment, like brushing your teeth.” Invite her on your show and learn how to ground yourself wherever you are in any particular moment. She’ll also reveal what it means to “let yourself go” and why it might be the skill to master right now. An experienced yoga teacher, Donna Melanson is best known for her daily beach sunrise broadcast on Periscope.tv. She is the host of “The Silent Bit” podcast and the author of “A Yogi’s Path to Peace: My Journey to Self-Realization.” Contact her at (828) 215-1212; donna.melanson@gmail.com
15. ==> Go Ahead and Run Away – Live and Work in Paradise
After the past 18 months, who hasn’t thought about running away from home and living in paradise? With so many people now working from home, companies changing their remote work policies, digital nomads, and people reinventing their lives post-pandemic, what was once just a pipedream has become a possibility for many! Invite Diane Huth, author of “The Grown-Ups Guide to Running Away From Home: Earn Dollars. Spend Pesos. Escape to Paradise” to discuss how much it really costs to live in paradise, medical and safety concerns about moving abroad, and how to fund your overseas dream life. Through her personal story of transformation from a burnt-out caregiver scraping by on Social Security to a joy-filled adventurer living her dream life on a white sandy beach in Mexico, she will show your listeners they too can do the same — more easily and affordably than they ever imagined possible. Contact Diane Huth at (210) 601-7852; Diane@DianeHuth.com