Under the Radar Podcast

Its nearly summertime, which means plenty of sunshine, slower days and lots of time to kick back with a new book. Whether its a mystery, thriller, romance, fantasy or nonfiction, theres a perfect summer read for every book lover to enjoy by the beach, on an airplane or curled up on the couch. Three local librarians joined Callie Crossley for Under the Radars annual summer-reading special to share what theyre adding to their summer-reading wishlist.

For the full list of books including Callies picks! go to gbhnews.org/UTR

In “Sojourners,” the first play of Mfoniso Udofia’s Ufot Family Cycle, audiences are introduced to Disciple, a graduate student who eventually becomes the Ufot patriarch. But as the drama unfolds play after play, Disciple grows increasingly erratic and intense, often prone to fits of rage. And it’s not until the third play in the cycle – “runboyrun” – that playwright Udofia focuses on Disciple, peeling back what’s led to his unraveling by centering his story and his past. What’s more is his story is told not in a theater but on the air as a podcast. We speak with the playwright and the actor playing Disciple to learn more about this unique production.

On May 25, 2020, millions of people around the world watched in horror as white police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee to the neck of George Floyd, a Black man, on a Minnesota street. Nine minutes and 29 seconds later, Floyd was dead. His murder led to what some called a racial reckoning, sparking global protests, demands for police reform, community dialogues and corporate pledges to fund opportunities and programs addressing the racial divide. So where do Americans and the United States stand, five years later? Experts in psychiatry, law enforcement and DEI tell us more.

In 2016, President Barack Obama appointed Dr. Carla Hayden as the 14th Librarian of Congress, making her the first woman and the first African American to hold the position. Dr. Hayden’s tenure as Librarian of Congress abruptly ended on May 8, when she was fired from the position. Eight days before her dismissal, Dr. Hayden spoke with Callie Crossley in one of her final interviews with the media as part of our year-long anti-book banning series, Unbound Pages. 

For many Black women, the hair salon is a cultural safe space, where stories and secrets help build an intimate community. In SpeakEasy Stage’s production of the Tony-winning play, “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding,” the West African immigrants who do the braiding and the customers seeking their services come together in a funny play that also explores serious current-day immigration policies. Three members of the cast and crew join Callie to talk more about the production.