Matter of Fact with Soledad O'Brien

Handcuffed at Home; Strange Encounters; Diploma Debt

Water Wars, coastal storms; World of Reading, librarian of congress; The Blob is back, marine biologists are worried

Hunting Isis; Climate Warrior; The Photo Ark

A Key Demographic, Asian American Voters; Rising Rent, how to survive rising costs; Taking Center Stage, a stage play blends tech & theater

Laughing Out Loud, Aida Rodriguez; Out of Okinawa, the Women of Okinawa; City of Change, fight of gentrification

This week on Matter of Fact with Soledad O’Brien, our listening tour rolls into Chicago. Altgeld Gardens, a housing project once described as a “Garden of Eden,” was later dubbed a “Toxic Doughnut.” Special Correspondent Joie Chen shows us how this environmental nightmare could haunt Democratic presidential candidates in 2020. In January, Illinois will become the first state to legalize the possession and sale of marijuana. But one chronic problem remains. How do you handle the thousands of prior pot convictions? Soledad interviews Darius Ballinger, who’s fighting to get his cannabis conviction expunged. Emmanuel Pratt started the Sweet Water Foundation to literally grow a better neighborhood. He integrates agriculture, education and design in a resident-driven approach to community development. He gives Soledad a tour of the neglected city block he’s revitalized with pastures of produce and immaculate architecture. He calls it “urban acupuncture.”

Degrees of Debt, government tuition programs; Revolutionary Care?, a doctor's different approach to patient cost; Do Polls Matter?, a year from the next presidential election

Promised Position, a Cherokee delegate; Fight to Vote, is there violation of rights with I.D.'s; Hair We Are, women of color & hair discrimination

This week on Matter of Fact, Soledad O’Brien takes a look at a neighborhood in West Louisville as residents look to revitalize the area without pushing out the residents who already live there. Then, Soledad sits down with GOP strategist Bruce Hehlman as Republicans look to overtake the U.S. House in 2020. And Robert X. Fogarty explains how his passion project, Dear World, transformed into something much bigger.

Cuba Restrictions; Gitmo's Future; Farmers Struggling

Success Story, author Stephanie Land; Asian "Dreamers", DACA's future remains uncertain; Good for Democracy?, social media helping or hurting democracy

Caring Cure; Three's a Crowd?; Farm & the City

This week on Matter of Fact, Soledad O’Brien visits Stony Brook University to look into its groundbreaking program focused on creating upward social mobility for lower-income students. Then, award-winning journalist Andrea Bernstein joins her in studio to discuss her new book “American Oligarchy” and the rise of both the Trump and Kushner families. And, Soledad speaks MacArthur “Genius” award winner Annie Dorsen about how she is pushing the limits of artificial intelligence on stage.

This week on Matter of Fact, correspondent Jessica Gomez travels to Pennsylvania where local lawmakers are working to help residents with student loan debt, as America’s bill reached a total of $1.6 trillion. Then, Soledad O’Brien speaks with National Geographic photographic Joel Sartore about his new book “The Photo Ark,” which features our planet’s most endangered animals. And Matter of Fact follows Ronald MacIntyre, one of nearly 700,000 people set to lose access to food stamps due to a new Trump administration rule.

This week on Matter of Fact is in Florida on the latest stop of the listening tour. First, Special Contributor Joie Chen speaks with Puerto Ricans living in the sunshine state. Many relocated after Hurricane Maria and could be a powerful voting block in the swing state. Plus, Correspondent Jessica Gomez travels to the space coast which seeing a financial boost from the new space race. Then, Soledad O’Brien breaks down why the biggest swing state is such a political conundrum. And, we look at the history of why Iowa is the first in the nation.

This week on Matter of Fact, all eyes turn now to New Hampshire for the first primary in the 2020 election. Special contributor Joie Chen reports as thousands of potential voters are being kept from the polls. Then, Soledad O’Brien sits down with Rob Richie, the President and CEO of FairVote, about changing how we vote for the president. Plus, Soledad chats with Dr. Timothy Wong who doesn’t take insurance and charges just $35 per medical problem.

This week on Matter of Fact, the United States is on track to record its first $1 trillion deficit since 2012. Soledad O’Brien sits down with Joelle Gamble, an economist with the Omidyar Network, to discuss our nation’s growing debt. Then, Matter of Fact Correspondent Leone Lahkani sees how a farm is creating economic options for people with disabilities. Plus, Soledad speaks with NALEO’s Lizzette Escobedo about the controversial citizenship question and the misconceptions around the census.

This week on Matter of Fact, Soledad O’Brien heads to South Carolina ahead of the state’s primary. She speaks with professors H. Gibbs Knotts and Jordan Ragusa, co-authors of “First in the South: Why South Carolina’s Presidential Primary Matters.” Then, Correspondent Jessica Gomez heads to Charleston where the city is preparing for rising sea levels. And, Special Contributor Joie Chen travels to the low country of South Carolina where Gullah artists are preserving their culture through tradition.

This week on Matter of Fact, Super Tuesday is right around the corner. Correspondent Jessica Gomez reports from Virginia where a gun debate is dividing voters. Then, Soledad O’Brien sits down with UMass Amherst professor Tatishe Nteta to discuss what African-American voters are looking for. Here’s a hint: they don’t all want the same thing. Plus, professor Kelly Dittmar talks with Soledad O’Brien about the fine line women candidates walk. And, Soledad breaks down the math that makes Super Tuesday super.

This week on Matter of Fact, Correspondent Jessica Gomez travels to Michigan to speak with farmers who say the president’s trade policies have pushed them to the brink of bankruptcy. Plus, it’s essentially a two-man race for the White House. Will voters push for moderate former Vice President Joe Biden or progressive Senator Bernie Sanders? Whoever they pick, Democratic strategist Roshni Nedungadi tells Soledad O’Brien the party will have to change. And Matter of Fact heads to the Bay Area, where Californians are struggling to pay their rent, even those who make six figures.

This week on Matter of Fact, Chicago’s “Toxic Doughnut” turning back into the “Garden of Eden.” Special contributor Joie Chen shows us how this environmental nightmare could haunt democratic candidates in 2020. Plus, student debt has now reached an all time high of $1.6 trillion. Matter of Fact heads to Louisiana to see why state funds don’t always get to the students who need it. And, we travel to Three-Part Harmony food that working to help low income D.C. residents get access to healthy, affordable food.

This week on Matter of Fact, we go inside the “Rightfully Hers” exhibit at the National Archives, looking at the right to vote. Three historians -Ann Gordon, Marcia Chatelain, and Maggie Blackhawk-join Soledad for a discussion about the 19th Amendment. Then, Soledad speaks with two students to discuss how the 19th Amendment shapes their political engagement today. And, Soledad gets a special look at some of the most interesting items on display with exhibit curator, Corinne Porter.

This week on Matter of Fact, we bring you the remarkable story of women raising their babies behind bars. Before the COVID-19 crisis was a threat, Soledad talked to pregnant prisoners on the waiting list for a room in the J-Unit, at the Washington Corrections Center for Women. In the J-Unit, non-violent offenders get to bond with their newborns while serving time. In this week’s program, we follow a mom raising her daughter in the J-Unit, a mother on the waiting list, and one who learns she’ll lose her baby immediately after giving birth.

This week on Matter of Fact, millions of students across the country rely on school lunches to be fed throughout the week. We take a look at an army of volunteers working to feed students in Milwaukee during the coronavirus pandemic. Plus, Soledad O’Brien speaks with Brian Castrucci, head of the de Beaumont Foundation, about the importance of funneling funding into the public health care system both during and after the crisis. Then, Soledad speaks with Dr. Leo Seoane from Ochsner Health, about the alarming disparity in infection and death rates among minorities.

This Week on Matter of Fact, Special contributor Joie Chen takes us to Washington, DC, one of the most dangerous places in the U.S. to give birth, where some first-time parents are rethinking their delivery plans. Then, Soledad O’Brien speaks with Bryan Finney, founder of Democracy Live, about casting your ballot from your phone. Then, she speaks with Rev. Martin Montonye, from NYC Health and Hospitals/Bellevue, about how hospitals chaplains are still providing comfort from outside the patient’s room.

This weekend on Matter of Fact, how soon is too soon to reopen the country amid the coronavirus pandemic? Soledad O’Brien speaks with Dr. Tom Frieden, a former CDC director and CEO/President of Resolve to Save Lives. Then, a distance learning dilemma. Correspondent Jessica Gomez talks to parents struggling to ensure their children with learning disabilities don’t regress as schools remain closed. Plus, Soledad O’Brien speaks with Dean Seneca, of the Seneca tribe, about the rapid spread of the coronavirus through tribal lands.

This week on Matter of Fact, how long can farmers get food to your table? Correspondent Jessica Gomez shows us how the coronavirus pandemic is straining our food supply chain. Plus, millions of jobless Americans are waiting on unemployment checks. Soledad O’Brien talks to Heidi Shierholz, a senior economist with the Economic Policy Institute, about how to fix the backlog. Then, Soledad speaks with New York Times best-selling author Michael Arcenaux about his new book, “I Don’t Won’t To Die Poor,” focusing on the struggle of student loan borrowers.

What can the 1918 flu pandemic teach us about our current pandemic? Special Contributor Joie Chen introduces us to a historian who fears we’ll see a second wave of COVID-19. Plus, Soledad O’Brien speaks with Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller about what kind of help cities need from Washington, D.C. during the crisis. Then, an app just for food stamp recipients designed to make the most of their benefits.

This week on Matter of Fact, states are looking to get people back to work while keeping them healthy. Correspondent Jessica Gomez takes us to Detroit, where the Motor City is reassembling the pieces. Then, political tensions over mail-in ballots. Soledad O’Brien talks to Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D) about how her state has done mail-in elections for 22 years and how other states can make the switch. Plus, could the pandemic lead to a universal basic income? Soledad O’Brien talks to Annie Lowrey about her book “Give People Money.

This weekend on Matter of Fact, a salute to the brave who put our country first. We look at the paths of two service members, Col. Harvey Barnum whose career soared after receiving this medal, and Staff Sgt. Melvin Morris, whose honor was delayed for decades. Plus, a marine who lost both legs in combat keeps on running. Why he committed to a month of marathons.

This week on Matter of Fact, we look at efforts to quickly find a vaccine for the coronavirus. Special Contributor Joie Chen shows us what it takes to develop a vaccine and a controversial type of testing. Then, Soledad O’Brien speaks with Johns Hopkins’ Dan Salmon about the process of rolling out the vaccine. Plus, Milwaukee was expecting thousands of visitors for the Democratic Convention. Soledad speaks with Mayor Tom Barrett about the alternatives during the pandemic.

This week on Matter of Fact, Soledad O’Brien speaks with attorney and former politician Bakari Sellers about his new memoir, “My Vanishing Country.” Why he says his father’s arrest, more than a decade before his birth, was the most important day of his life. Then, she discusses with sociologist Dr. Rashawn Ray how the protests of George Floyd’s death could mark a turning point in the larger fight against systemic racism. Plus, as the nation confronts a racial crisis, we are still fighting a health pandemic. Correspondent Jessica Gomez reports from a town of mostly migrant workers who are facing a severe coronavirus outbreak but can’t afford to stay home.

This week on Matter of Fact, challenging the future of policing in America. Soledad talks to former Camden, NJ Police Chief Scott Thomson about how they rebuilt their police force after disbanding the department. Then, she speaks with Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby about redefining public safety. Plus, a mother seeks sanctuary in a Maryland church for more than 500 days, sheltering from deportment. And, how Seattle tackled its homelessness crisis in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

There Goes the Neighborhood, Sweet Water Foundation; Poisoned Politics, an environmental nightmare; Second to None, top city of Chicago

This week, Matter of Fact with Soledad O’Brien takes you to the center of the country’s first confrontation with COVID-19. We reveal some of the first moments leaders in Seattle, Washington began grappling with a new and deadly coronavirus, never before seen in the United States. In our documentary-style episode, we will introduce you to a family struggling on the streets during the pandemic; a daughter fighting to get care for her father while he is quarantined inside a nursing home; and local caregivers working to protect the most vulnerable in the community.

This week on Matter of Fact, we look at what it means to be an American. We follow a naturalized immigrant judge as she swears in new citizens in Milwaukee. Then, Special Contributor Joie takes us inside a controversial vaccine shortcut known as “Human Challenge Trials.” Plus, Correspondent Jessica Gomez shows us a Detroit boxing gym has become an unlikely source of community support during the pandemic. And, a conversation with Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor about the state of civics.

This week on Matter of Fact, an uncontrollable surge in coronavirus cases leads to dire warnings from health experts. What can the flu of 1918 teach us about the present pandemic? Plus, calculating the cost of economic recovery. Economist Heidi Shierholz explains how even employed Americans could feel the impact of unemployment benefits expiring. Then, Correspondent Jessica Gomez reports from Lincoln, Nebraska where a large population of resettled refugees are struggling to help their families here and across the globe.

This week on Matter of Fact, as the United States struggles to get a handle on the coronavirus pandemic, an eviction crisis could be on the horizon. Soledad O’Brien speaks with Darlene Turner, who stands to lose her apartment of two decades, and Matt Desmond, from Princeton University’s Eviction Lab and author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book, “Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City.” Then, millions of families are facing a difficult decision as the school year approaches: to keep their children at home or send them back to the classroom. Merrie Najimy, president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association, talks about the tough choices ahead of the new school year. Then, “A Most Beautiful Thing.” A documentary on the first all-Black high school rowing team is ready to be released at the end of the month. Soledad O’Brien talks with filmmaker Mary Mazzio, Arshay Cooper, the film’s inspiration, and executive producer Grant Hill.

This week on Matter of Fact, we show you a day in the life of a contact tracer. Meet Sivnathy Vasanthan, one of the thousands working to tell people when they’ve been exposed to COVID-19. Then, hope on the horizon for coronavirus patients. Soledad O’Brien speaks with Dr. Amesh Adalja from Johns Hopkins University about the most promising treatments available. Plus, the U.S. Postal Service is set to run out of money by the end of the year. Special Contributor Joie Chen shows us the agency past and what could happen if the money dries up. And, the role of gender in American politics. Kelly Dittmar from Rutgers University-Camden returns to discuss how a woman VP could impact the election.

This week on Matter of Fact, Correspondent Jessica Gomez takes us inside a rural hospital on life support. How the coronavirus pandemic could force facilities to close when residents need them the most. Then, Soledad O’Brien speaks with Dr. Vaile Wright from the American Psychological Association about what could be a mental health crisis on the horizon. Plus, democracy is set to face a big test in November. Soledad talks to Matthew Weil, from the Bipartisan Policy Center, about why calling this year’s election will be unlike any other.

This week on Matter of Fact, Soledad O’Brien speaks with immunologist Dr. James E. K. Hildreth, president and CEO of Meharry, about why we may need to adjust our expectations if we’re hoping to see a COVID vaccine by the end of the year. Then, some 130,000 Puerto Ricans have moved to the mainland following Hurricane Maria’s destruction. Special contributor Joie Chen shows us why some believe these American voters could help turn Florida blue in November. Plus, Native American women are speaking out as they say their daughters are disappearing without a trace.

This month marks 100 years since women won the right to vote in America. Historians -Ann Gordon, Marcia Chatelain, and Maggie Blackhawk-join Soledad for a discussion about how women shape democracy now and how they changed it even before they could vote. Plus, Soledad speaks with two young women, a Republican and a Democrat, about what role gender plays in the upcoming 2020 election. Then, we go inside the “Rightfully Hers” exhibit at the National Archives for a look back at the 19th Amendment.

This week on Matter of Fact, while congress fights over the next stimulus package, more people are turning to food banks. But how long can they feed this need? Soledad O’Brien speaks with Trinity Tran of Urban Partners Los Angeles, who says people are waiting in lines for hours to get food. Plus, will your vote count? Soledad talks with Trevor Potter, founder of the Campaign Legal Center, about what you can do to make sure your voice is heard in the 2020 presidential election. Then, NASCAR driving into controversy over the confederate flag. Special Correspondent Joie Chen introduces us to a new driver hoping to steer a new generation to the sport. And, what do students think about reopening schools in the pandemic?

This week on Matter of Fact, are both major parties missing the largest minority voting group? Antonio Arellano is the Interim Director of JOLT, the largest civic engagement effort in Texas. Soledad O’Brien asks him why he believes his generation of Latinos could make a big difference in November. Then, some states are passing laws to restrict protesters as demonstrators take to the streets calling for an end to racial injustice and police brutality. Soledad speaks with Tennessee State Rep. Jason Hodges about why he voted against a bill that could lead to felonies for protesters. Plus, Correspondent Jessica Gomez goes to Lincoln, Nebraska to see how the COVID-19 pandemic is feeding the hunger crisis around the world. And, we look at how election officials are preparing for a flood of mail-in ballots ahead of the November election.

This week on Matter of Fact, Soledad O’Brien speaks with attorney and former State Rep. Bakari Sellers about his new memoir, “My Vanishing Country.” His father, a civil rights activist, was shot and charged with inciting a riot 16 years before Sellers was born. He says it was the most important day of his life. Then, in the aftermath of ongoing police shootings, Soledad talks with sociologist Dr. Rashawn Ray about whether this could mark a turning point in the fight against systemic racism. Plus, Correspondent Jessica Gomez reports from a small Florida town of mostly migrant workers who are facing a severe coronavirus outbreak but can’t afford to stay home.