Reparations in California; Size Discrimination Legislation in NYC; The Teenagers Are Not Alright: School Refusal; Battle of the Boroughs: Wildflower Edition

Eric McDonnell, Chair with the African American Reparations Advisory Committee, middle left, speaks at a reparations rally outside of City Hall in San Francisco, Tuesday, March 14, 2023.

Coming up on today's show: 

  • Emmanuel Felton, race and ethnicity reporter on the America desk at The Washington Post, breaks down the latest on a new bill that aims to provide reparations for black Californians.
  • City Council is likely to pass a bill tomorrow that will ban discrimination based on a person's height and weight in employment, housing, and public accommodations. Shaun Abreu, council member for District 7 (Manhattan Valley, Manhattanville, Morningside Heights, Hamilton Heights), the sponsor of the bill, discusses the expected impact of making size discrimination illegal.

  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report in February that showed an increase in teenagers struggling with their mental health, and the American Academy of Pediatrics has declared mental health challenges for teens a "national emergency." Ari E. Fox, founder & director of Cope With School NYC and psychotherapist, discusses one of the more troubling manifestations of youth mental distress: an exponential rise of kids refusing to attend school.

  • For NYC Wildflower Week, a public garden in each of the boroughs is backing a different flower and wants you to vote for the winner. Marielle Anzelone, urban botanist and ecologist and the founder of NYC Wildflower Week, explains the contest and Evie Hantzopoulos, executive director of Queens Botanical Garden, and Richard Hayden, director of horticulture at the High Line, talk about their favorites.

Transcripts are posted to each segment as they become available.