California Voters Aren’t Representative Of Californian Demographics, How Do We Fix It?
Voting in California has technically never been easier than in recent years, ballots are mailed to all eligible voters, voters have a month to drop off ballots, and can register to vote at the last minute at the polls. However, according to a Berkeley IGS poll released this week, all that effort hasn’t amounted to a lot of change in the makeup of who is voting in elections. 71 percent of the state’s regular voters are both white and over the age of 50, and just 14 percent of Latino’s are regular voters, with most of them likely over the age of 50 as well. Three in ten people who are infrequent voters cited the reasons for their non-participation as lack of interest, or because they did not know enough about the candidates or issues. So what will it take to spread the vote beyond historical trends in the state and create a diverse and well informed electorate? Why have past efforts failed? Here to answer those questions and discuss voting trends in California are Sara Sadwhani, assistant professor of political science at Pomona College and Fernando Guerra, professor of political science and Chicano/Latino studies and director of the Center for the Study of Los Angeles at Loyola Marymount University.
Wildfires Are Threatening Beloved Joshua Trees In The Mojave Desert
Flames up to 20 feet tall have been spotted in the Mojave Desert as the York Fire has torn through mixed desert scrub, yucca, pinyon juniper, and invasive plants like red brome, all of which saw a lot of growth during the recent wet winter. Fires like this have long been rare in Mojave desert ecosystems, with some estimates putting the fire return interval at every couple hundred years. Now, they’re becoming a feature of the landscape, increasing in frequency and jeopardizing the recovery of native species, including Joshua trees. Just a few years ago, the nearby Dome Fire burned more than 40,000 acres and destroyed more than 1 million of the famous trees. Joining us today is Jacob Margolis, LAist science reporter and host of the ‘Big Burn’ podcast, and Lynn Sweet, research ecologist at UC Riverside, and Justin M. Valliere, professor of plant sciences at UC Davis.
With files from LAist
Masculinity’s Evolution: How Is It Changing From Its Most Traditional Sense In Society & The Media?
Most people’s perception of masculinity is one that’s very much based off of one specific kind of male experience, one that praised hyper masculine traits in people and didn’t leave much room for other forms of expression, that however has changed. Although marginal in the greater context of society, there have been more conversations on men’s mental and physical well-beings now that is more centered on compassion than the “man up” mentality that was instilled into so many previous generations. In recent films like Barbie, we’ve seen it’s critiques of gender hierarchy show a more equitable world that benefits men and the different forms of masculinity that can manifest themselves outside of the stereotypical ones we saw in past media. Following the Me Too Movement, we’ve seen more of an emphasis on boundaries and clear communication, setting new terms for men’s relationship romantically and platonically.
So what can be made of these changes? Are these introductions to new styles of what it means to be a “man” going to continue to grow and change? Joining us to delve into the topic is Jane Ward, professor of Feminist Studies at UC Santa Barbara and author of the book “The Tragedy of Heterosexuality,” and Christopher Chávez, professor of Advertising and the Director of the Center for Latina/o and Latin American Studies at the University of Oregon.
Why Did LA Fare Better Than New York During The Pandemic And What Can We Learn About Potential Future Spread?
During the pandemic, cities like Los Angeles were battered. COVID-19 death rates were higher. Still, L.A. fared better than its east coast counterpart, New York City. According to the L.A. Times, New York saw more deaths per capita than L.A. County. What factors played into this result and what can we learn about potential spread in the future? Joining to discuss is Ron Lin, LA Times reporter who’s been covering this and Dr. Kimberly Shriner, director of Infectious Disease and Prevention at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena. If you have questions about this, give us a call at 866-893-5722 or email atcomments@laist.com.
When Hollywood Sex Scenes Get Steamy, Intimacy Coordinators Are Ready To Step In
These days, Hollywood sex scenes can get pretty steamy. If you watch shows like Bridgerton, Outlander, and Normal People you might be pleasantly surprised by the abundance of passionate sex scenes. Not long ago, scenes like this would have been missing what today many actors consider vital to their performance – an intimacy coordinator. Their primary role is to make sure actors feel safe when baring it all, both physically and emotionally. Much like a stunt coordinator, an intimacy coordinator choreographs scenes that simulate sex or involve other kinds of hyper exposure. Joining us on AirTalk to talk more about the role of an intimacy coordinator, how they work on set and how the recent strikes may help make them a fixture on any Hollywood set are Marci Liroff, an intimacy coordinator based in Los Angeles and Mayra Amaya, intimacy coordinator, filmmaker and trained actor.
Mom & Dad, I’ve Got Something To Tell You…How To Deal When Your Parents Disapprove Of Your Choices
Imagine: you ditch your plans to attend Stanford for pre-med in order to follow your high school crush to New York. Your parents, to say the least, aren’t happy. If this sounds familiar, that’s because it’s the plot of the early 2000s drama, Felicity, starring Keri Russell. But it’s also a scenario that plays out all the time: grown children making important life decisions about things like romantic partners and work that do not please their parents. How do you navigate making big choices in the face of parental disapproval, from approaching the conversation to dealing with feelings of guilt, as well as your parents’ disappointment? We’re talking to two psychologists to break it down, Joshua Coleman, clinical psychologist, author of several books, including "Rules of Estrangement: Why Adult Children Cut Ties and How to Heal the Conflict" and Lisette Sanchez, licensed psychologist and founder of Calathea Wellness, a virtual private counseling practice.
