Baseball legend Jackie Robinson broke barriers on the field, but his legacy off the field is under attack.
In this episode, Akilah Hughes explores how the Trump administration is trying to rewrite history in its crusade against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
Guests Roy Wood Jr., Jeremy Taché, and The Nation’s Kali Holloway unpack why it’s important to defend history and what DEI efforts are designed to achieve.
Guests:
Roy Wood, Jr., actor and comedian
Kali Holloway, columnist, The Nation
Jeremy Taché, Miami-based sports reporter and host
CHAPTERS:
00:00 - OPEN
00:22 - INTRO
03:00 - THE PUSH TO REWRITE HISTORY
04:02 - KALI HOLLOWAY
07:35 - DEI HIRE, JACKIE ROBINSON
09:14 - JEREMY TACHÉ
14:52 - ROY WOOD JR.
19:28 - WHY ARE THEY SCRUBBING HISTORY?
23:47 - HOW IS IT BETTER?
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31:07
Don’t Blame Canada: Trump Blew It With Our Besties
America’s relationship with Canada has always been close — like cousins who share a border, celebrities and culture, and a love for maple syrup. But lately, that closeness has taken a weird turn.
In this episode, we explore how Donald Trump has soured the relationship with our once closest ally – referring to Canada as the “51st state.”
Host Akilah Hughes talks with Noor Azrieh, host and producer of the podcast Canadaland, and Silke Labson – Akilah’s friend who fled north after Trump took office the first time.
Guests:
Noor Azrieh, host and producer of the podcast Canadaland.
Silke Labson, owner of Hen Dog Marketing (and Akilah’s friend)
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29:05
The Evolution of Mark Zuckerberg
Once a hoodie-wearing coder preaching openness and connection, Mark Zuckerberg is now a gold chain wearing, jiu jitsu obsessed metaverse warlord who is vibing with Trump-adjacent influencers. What happened?
Host Akilah Hughes digs into Zuckerberg’s transformation — from the early Facebook years through his big metaverse bet and into his (chicken nugget eating?) macho phase. Ryan Broderick, host of Panic World and author of Garbage Day; and tech reporter Steven Levy, journalist and author of Facebook: The Inside Story, join to break down this evolution.
And as always, Akilah is asking the question “how is this better?” and wondering if Zuckerberg still cares about making the world “more connected,” or if he ever really did.
Guests:
Ryan Broderick, host of the podcast Panic World and author of the Garbage Day newsletterSteven Levy, journalist and author of “Facebook: The Inside Story"
Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
02:02 - Does Mark Zuckerberg only eat chicken nuggets?
02:18- Ryan Broderick, Panic Word + Garbage Day
04:48 - Steven Levy, Wired + Facebook: The Inside Story
06:21 - Digital Gentrification – Myspace vs. Facebook
08:03 - Zuckerberg's Public Perception by Era
09:53 - Metaverse
15:04 - Zuckerberg's Midlife Crisis?
15:38 - The New Mark Zuckerberg
18:02 - AI Slop
23:51 - Does He Still Have a "Greater Good" Mission?
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29:17
Will I Ever Get to Yosemite?
On February 14th, 2025 Donald Trump’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) sent a letter to 1000 probationary National Parks staff – firing them – only to reinstate them weeks later. Pretty INefficient…
But that wasn’t just a distraction. It wasn’t just a fumble. It was the opening salvo for a plan, laid out in Project 2025, to dismantle protections for National Parks.
It’s all got Akilah Hughes wondering – if she wants to cross going to Yosemite off her bucket list…is it now or never?
Guests:
Kristen Brengel, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs, National Parks Conservation Association
Steven Beissinger, Professor of Conservation Biology and A. Starker Leopold Professor of Wildlife Ecology, UC Berkeley
Adam Auerbach, conservation non-profit leader, former RMNP Ranger
Follow this show wherever you get your podcasts. Apple | Spotify | COURIER YouTube
CHAPTERS:
00:00 - INTRO
01:47 - PROJECT 2025/TRUMP ADMIN PLAN
02:12 - BACKGROUND ON THE US NATIONAL PARKS
03:32 - PROJECT 2025/TRUMP ADMIN PLAN
04:22 - PARK RANGERS
09:03 - PRIVATIZATION AGENDA
10:33 - WILL I GET TO SEE YOSEMITE?
11:00 - CLIMATE CHANGE
15:43 - UNDERSTANDING THE NETWORK OF AGENCIES (NOT JUST PARKS)
18:39 - FINAL THOUGHTS
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25:01
Introducing: How Is This Better? with Akilah Hughes
Donald Trump has been campaigning to “make America great again” for a decade. Tech bro oligarchs swear they’re “making the world a better place.” But here we are – in 2025 – with planes falling from the damn sky, senseless trade wars driving higher prices and economic instability, and so-called “social” media and AI making everyone more isolated and lonelier than ever. It’s time to ask: How is this better?
Akilah Hughes is here to provide that much needed reality check. Covering everything from politics to entertainment to tech and late-stage capitalism, How Is This Better? challenges the grifters who are controlling our government, our attention, and so much of our daily lives.
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We're constantly bombarded by grifters who claim to have all the solutions. From Donald Trump promising to "make America great" to tech bros who say they're making the world a "better place." Akilah Hughes has had enough. She's finally asking...How Is This Better?
USA