Rooted

Paris Alston sits down with longtime journalist Don Lemon for a candid conversation about truth‑telling in a political era that punishes it. Lemon opens up about his arrest during immigration‑crackdown coverage, his complicated evolution since Ferguson, and why his new partnership with comedian D.L. Hughley works despite — or because of — their disagreements. Together, they unpack what it means to be a Black journalist navigating bias, backlash, and a media landscape where credibility is constantly under attack.Rooted is brought to you by our sponsor, Britebound—helping middle and high school students to explore their passions, try out career paths, and make confident decisions about their future. To learn more, visit https://bit.ly/britebound Subscribe to the Rooted YouTube channel:    •GBH News Rooted  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMQKK3_a14M1bsOL7ggcASlMGbvdGrbptFollow Rooted on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/rootedgbh Listen to Rooted on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/0hVZTdc7MUcV1ctFZeGHa2 Follow Rooted on Threads https://www.threads.com/@rootedgbh Follow Rooted on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@rootedgbh Subscribe to the Rooted newsletter https://www.wgbh.org/tv-shows/gbh-news-rootedSupport GBH and help shape a future where facts matter, stories unite us, and everyone has access to quality media. Join us. Fund the Future: https://bit.ly/FundtheFutureYT

Paris speaks with renowned historian and public intellectual Henry Louis Gates Jr. about race, identity, and how history continues to shape American life. Gates challenges long‑held assumptions about Blackness, explaining why race is not a biological fact but a social construct rooted in power and history. Drawing on genetic ancestry research, he unpacks what DNA reveals about African American identity, including the lasting impact of slavery and racial hierarchy. The conversation also surfaces often‑erased stories of Black and Indigenous people in early American history, particularly during the Revolutionary War, and examines why these narratives remain contested today amid debates over education and memory.Rooted is brought to you by our sponsor, Britebound—helping middle and high school students to explore their passions, try out career paths, and make confident decisions about their future. To learn more, visit https://bit.ly/britebound Subscribe to the Rooted YouTube channel:    •GBH News Rooted  Follow Rooted on InstagramListen to Rooted on SpotifyFollow Rooted on ThreadsFollow Rooted on TikTokSubscribe to the Rooted newsletter Support GBH and help shape a future where facts matter, stories unite us, and everyone has access to quality media. Join us. Fund the Future: https://bit.ly/FundtheFutureYT

Paris sits down with acclaimed astrophysicist and NOVA’s Particles of Thought host Dr. Hakeem Oluseyi for a wide‑ranging, thought‑provoking conversation that bridges cutting‑edge science, identity, and purpose. Drawing from his new book, Why Do We Exist?: The Nine Realms of Universe that Make You Possible, Dr. Oluseyi unpacks the hidden layers of the cosmos, from subatomic particles to the vast structure of space‑time and connects them to the very real question of who gets to participate in these discoveries. Together, Paris and Hakeem explore why making science accessible to Black communities matters, how representation in academic and scientific spaces can reshape what young people imagine as possible, and why seeing yourself reflected in the pursuit of knowledge is essential to expanding our collective understanding of the universe and our place within it.Rooted is brought to you by our sponsor, Britebound—helping middle and high school students to explore their passions, try out career paths, and make confident decisions about their future. To learn more, visit https://bit.ly/britebound Subscribe to the Rooted YouTube channel:    •GBH News Rooted  Follow Rooted on InstagramListen to Rooted on SpotifyFollow Rooted on ThreadsFollow Rooted on TikTokSubscribe to the Rooted newsletter Support GBH and help shape a future where facts matter, stories unite us, and everyone has access to quality media. Join us. Fund the Future: https://bit.ly/FundtheFutureYT

Four months after the capture of Venezuela’s president Nicolás Maduro, debates over corruption and authoritarianism have dominated headlines. On Rooted, scholars Dr. Layla Brown, Dr. Tony Van Der Meer, and Yvette Modestin look deeper examining the Bolivarian Movement’s roots, its central relationship to Afro‑Venezuelan identity, and the long U.S. tradition of intervening when Black‑led movements reshape power across Latin America.Rooted is brought to you by our sponsor, Britebound—helping middle and high school students to explore their passions, try out career paths, and make confident decisions about their future. To learn more, visit https://bit.ly/britebound  Subscribe to the Rooted YouTube channel:    •GBH News Rooted  Follow Rooted on InstagramListen to Rooted on SpotifyFollow Rooted on ThreadsFollow Rooted on TikTokSubscribe to the Rooted newsletter Support GBH and help shape a future where facts matter, stories unite us, and everyone has access to quality media. Join us. Fund the Future: https://bit.ly/FundtheFutureYT

In this episode of Rooted, we ask what it really means to make jazz now. From Boston jazz clubs and basement jam sessions to TikTok lives and global stages, Grammy-nominated saxophonist Godwin Louis breaks down how jazz continues to evolve across generations, cultures, and continents.We explore jazz’s deep roots in Black American history, its ties to the African diaspora, and why America so often waits decades to celebrate Black innovation. If jazz was born from resistance, community, and improvisation—what does that look like in 2026?Rooted is brought to you by our sponsor, Britebound—helping middle and high school students to explore their passions, try out career paths, and make confident decisions about their future. To learn more, visit https://bit.ly/britebound  Subscribe to the Rooted YouTube channel:    •GBH News Rooted  Follow Rooted on InstagramListen to Rooted on SpotifyFollow Rooted on ThreadsFollow Rooted on TikTokSubscribe to the Rooted newsletter Support GBH and help shape a future where facts matter, stories unite us, and everyone has access to quality media. Join us. Fund the Future: https://bit.ly/FundtheFutureYT

Rooted digs into reality TV accountability, revisiting America’s Next Top Model through a critical lens that centers Black women and power. Our panel unpacks the now‑iconic “We were all rooting for you!” moment, how a new documentary reframes Tyra Banks and the early‑2000s modeling industry, and what accountability looks like when those traditionally marginalized are positioned as gatekeepers.Subscribe to the Rooted YouTube channel:    •GBH News Rooted  Follow Rooted on InstagramListen to Rooted on SpotifyFollow Rooted on ThreadsFollow Rooted on TikTokSubscribe to the Rooted newsletter Support GBH and help shape a future where facts matter, stories unite us, and everyone has access to quality media. Join us. Fund the Future: https://bit.ly/FundtheFutureYT

Just days before she was fired by President Trump, Carla Hayden - the first woman and the first African American to serve as the librarian of Congress  - warned about the risk of losing important parts of U.S. history. Hayden and Noelle Trent, the head of Boston's Museum of African American History, spoke with GBH News Rooted Host Paris Alston about their efforts to preserve Black history.Rooted is brought to you by our sponsor, Britebound—helping middle and high school students to explore their passions, try out career paths, and make confident decisions about their future. To learn more, visit Britebound.Subscribe to the Rooted YouTube channel:    •GBH News Rooted  Follow Rooted on InstagramListen to Rooted on SpotifyFollow Rooted on ThreadsFollow Rooted on TikTokSubscribe to the Rooted newsletterSupport GBH and help shape a future where facts matter, stories unite us, and everyone has access to quality media. Join us. Fund the Future: https://bit.ly/FundtheFutureYT

Callie Crossley guest hosts Rooted in leading a panel that breaks down the biggest surprises of the 2026 Oscars, from Michael B. Jordan’s groundbreaking win and Ruth E. Carter’s historic nomination milestone to the heated debates around Teyana Taylor’s role, Paul Thomas Anderson’s sweep, and whether the new casting category can push Hollywood toward real representation—all while questioning what the Oscars' move to YouTube means for the future of filmRooted is brought to you by our sponsor, Britebound—helping middle and high school students to explore their passions, try out career paths, and make confident decisions about their future. To learn more, visit https://bit.ly/britebound Subscribe to the Rooted YouTube channel:    •GBH News Rooted Follow Rooted on Instagram:    / rootedgbh  Listen to Rooted on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hVZTdc...Follow Rooted on Threads: https://www.threads.com/@rootedgbhFollow Rooted on TikTok:  / rootedgbh  Subscribe to the Rooted newsletter at https://www.wgbh.org/tv-shows/gbh-new...Visit our website: https://www.wgbh.org/news

On Rooted, we’re unpacking the “Bluey‑to‑Baddies” pipeline—and why tween media feels impossible to find in a world drowning in YouTube algorithms and AI‑generated slop. Paris taps award‑winning animator Chaz Bottoms to break down the brutal realities of making it in cartoons, especially for creators of color. Then Genie Deez and Thy Than, showrunners of the new PBS Kids series Phoebe & Jay, join her to ask the big question: Can public media’s hand‑crafted, mission‑driven storytelling still compete with the algorithm?Rooted is brought to you by our sponsor, Britebound—helping middle and high school students to explore their passions, try out career paths, and make confident decisions about their future. To learn more, visit https://bit.ly/britebound Subscribe to the Rooted YouTube channel:    •GBH News Rooted  Follow Rooted on Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/rootedgbhListen to Rooted on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hVZTdc...Follow Rooted on Threads: https://www.threads.com/@rootedgbhFollow Rooted on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rootedgbhSubscribe to the Rooted newsletter at https://www.wgbh.org/tv-shows/gbh-new...Visit our website: https://www.wgbh.org/newsGBH News wants to hear from YOU! We are conducting our annual audience survey 📝  https://bit.ly/3ZQXSQr. This will help us understand your interests and what you want to see more of from us. It only takes a few minutes, and we are grateful for your input. 🙌GBH News is a premier source for in-depth local news and original story telling based in Boston, Massachusetts.Support GBH and help shape a future where facts matter, stories unite us, and everyone has access to quality media. Join us. Fund the Future: https://bit.ly/FundtheFutureYT

The federal government just slashed how much future nurses, counselors, educators, and social workers can borrow — a move that hits women, Black students, and entire communities like a punch to the gut. Paris Alston digs into how a bureaucratic “reclassification” could gut the nursing pipeline, deepen care shortages, and widen racial health disparities. Then we head to Roxbury, where Children’s Services is doing what Washington won’t: creating a free, community‑rooted pathway to grow Black and brown mental health providers. When institutions make care harder to access, the community builds its own solutions.

In this episode, we mark 100 years since Carter G. Woodson launched Negro History Week by asking what Black History Month truly means today—and whether it still matters. We hit the streets to hear how everyday people perceive the holiday’s legacy, then sit down with Dr. Kellie Carter Jackson, comedian Jason Cordova, and culture commentator Shane Faiteau for a candid conversation about the ways Black history gets flattened, who should be trusted to tell our stories, and why younger generations often feel disconnected from familiar narratives. We also speak with author and former Minneapolis City Council leader Ralph Remington, whose book Penetrating Whiteness pushes us to confront how policing, immigration enforcement, and the threat of political violence echo through Black life in 2026. Through these layered voices funny, sharp, skeptical, and deeply reflective we explore identity, diaspora, capitalism, community, and the future of resistance, reminding listeners that Black history cannot be contained to February because it shapes and is shaped by every moment we’re living now.Rooted is brought to you by our sponsor, Britebound—helping middle and high school students to explore their passions, try out career paths, and make confident decisions about their future. To learn more, visit https://bit.ly/britebound  

Graduate student workers are the engine of American universities—teaching classes, grading papers, running labs—and many are doing it while earning less than a barista’s paycheck. In this episode, Paris Alston exposes the brutal reality behind the prestige: retaliation, homelessness, mental health crises, and a 206‑day strike that made history. We hear from a BU grad worker whose fight for survival turned into a battle against the very institution she served. This isn’t just a labor dispute—it’s a reckoning with who universities value, and who they quietly discard.

A raw, cultural breakdown of Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl takeover — from the unity message and Latino representation debate to the nostalgia‑heavy ads that fell flat. Our roundtable featuring equity and justice reporter Trajan Warren, eXpozedtv and #GrindCon founder Katiria Colon, and Auzzy Byrdsell of The Boston Globe dig into the moments that hit, the ones that missed, and why this performance still has everyone talking.

Black families love to joke that “we’re losing recipes,” but what we’re really losing—and sometimes finally confronting—are the unspoken histories baked into every pan of mac and cheese. In this episode, Paris Alston digs into the generational drama simmering beneath our traditions, then sits down with Sarah Amos to unpack the chaotic, brilliant legacy of her father, Wally “Famous” Amos. And if that weren’t enough flavor, chef Rhonda Perscip brings receipts—and fritters—from a culinary lineage that survived emancipation, migration, and everything in between. This one’s about food, family, and the fire it takes to rewrite a recipe without repeating the trauma.

The 2026 Grammys rolled out 3,800 new voters, diverse nominees, and a whole lot of “we promise we’ve changed” energy — but in a world where careers are built on TikTok loops and viral sandwiches, does the gramophone still mean anything? Paris Alston breaks down a night where Bad Bunny used his moment to call out ICE, Kendrick Lamar made history while amplifying lesser-known artists, and the Recording Academy tried once again to prove it understands the culture it’s been catching up to for decades. From shrinking ratings to rising resistance, this episode asks the real question: when the music industry evolves faster than the institutions that reward it, who are the Grammys even for anymore?

Black folks have always had a complicated relationship with water—from West African aquatic cultures to the terror of the Middle Passage, from segregated pools to Flint and Jackson. In this episode, Paris Alston dives deep with National Geographic explorer Tara Roberts, who documents slave shipwrecks the world pretends not to care about, and champion rower Arshay Cooper, who’s reclaiming the healing power of water for young Black men. Together, they expose how water has been used against us—and how we’re taking it back.

Tech giants are cashing in on our data while Black communities face the environmental fallout of data centers and the job‑shifting wave of AI. Paris Alston talks digital sharecropping, climate justice, and the real cost of automation with activists and experts who are pushing back—NAACP’s Abre’ Conner, journalist Willie Blackmore, and tech ethicist Rev. Chris Hope. From polluted neighborhoods to biased algorithms, they break down what’s at stake and how Black folks can reclaim power in a rapidly changing world.

Kendrick Lamar has taken aim at his rival Drake’s biracial identity. President Trump did the same against his rival former Vice President Kamala Harris. Bridging identities and cultures has been part of the Black experience for centuries, so what’s it like for a generation moving into adulthood? Paris Alston talks culture, Frederick Douglass, and the end of racism with two twenty-somethings navigating biracial backgrounds in a supposedly post-racial America.

Braids are a way to get 'hang time' but there's new evidence that synthetic hair often contains chemicals - including lead and benzene -  associated with cancer. Zina Thompson of Zina’s Hair Salon,  Shellee Mendes of Salon Monet and Dr. Joyce Imahiyerobo-Ip of Vibrant Dermatology & Aesthetics joined Paris Alston at the roundtable to discuss the evidence, risks and lack of regulation on hair products. 

The Trump administration is dismantling DEI programs, the Republicans control congress, and Democratic Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley says the time is right for reparations. Why now? And what would a reparations law look like? Paris Alston sat down with Rep. Pressley to ask about the timing of a reparations bill and the Democrats response to Trump 2.0.

From Harlem Renaissance rebels to Hollywood stereotypes, Black storytelling has always been a battleground for power. Today, the pen, the lens, and the mic are finally in Black hands but what does that mean when the legacy of racial violence still hangs over us, literally and figuratively?In this  episode of Rooted, playwright Zora Howard unpacks her haunting new work Hang Time, inspired by real-life tragedies and the urgent need to see Black men beyond headlines and hashtags. Then, filmmakers Dan Algrant and Don Wright take us inside their documentary Cathedrals, a raw reckoning with race, memory, and who gets to tell the truth about America’s housing projects.This isn’t just art it’s a fight for voice, visibility, and ownership. Are we ready to confront the stories we’ve ignored? Or will we keep walking by?

Every minute, someone is abused and tech is at the center of it all. From stalking through smart devices to survivors fighting back with screenshots, this episode exposes how technology is both weapon and lifeline. Featuring raw stories, expert insights, and a fight for justice you won’t hear anywhere else.

Inspired by Gucci Mane’s candid Breakfast Club interview, Rooted dives deep into the complex world of conservatorships and Black men’s autonomy over their lives when living with a mental health condition. Featuring owner of the estate planning firm Life & Legacy Counselors, Aimee Griffin; clinical social worker and executive director of Fathers' Uplift, Dr. Charles Daniels; as well as marriage and family counselor Rob Badgett; we explore the fine line between safeguarding assets and safeguarding autonomy. How do legal control, cultural stigma, and mental health intersect and what does it mean for families and communities?Find more content and subscribe to our YouTube channel. 

As the political climate intensifies under the Trump administration, journalists and media leaders from historically Black-owned outlets and public media’s equity and justice units explore what it means to tell diverse stories in an era of disinformation, censorship, and cultural backlash. This episode examines how legacy and emerging voices are fighting to preserve truth and representation.Find more content and subscribe to our YouTube channel. 

Paris speaks with a panel of experts to explore how Black haircare serves as a powerful tool for community care, social activism, and civil liberties in America.Find more content and subscribe to our YouTube channel. 

A year after New England's first affordable, inclusive LGBTQ+ living facility is created, very few people of color are residents. Paris unpacks the inequities that the BIPOC queer senior citizens face with queer theologian Reverend Irene Monroe, author and cultural critic Tre Johnson, public health expert Dr. Angelique Harris, and LGBTQ Elders of Color executive director Paul Glass.Find more content and subscribe to our YouTube channel. 

With its roots in voicing the unheard concerns of oft forgotten communities, Hip-Hop has grown into the most profitable genre in the music industry. As Notorious B.I.G. once said, "Mo' Money, Mo' Problems". Between RICO cases, sex trafficking suits, and controversial presidential endorsements one could wonder if Hip-Hop continues to service its origins. Paris unpacks this with her guests.Find more content and subscribe to our YouTube channel. 

With executive orders aimed at withholding federal funding from jurisdictions with sanctuary policies and a call from Attorney General, Pam Bondi, for several cities to comply with ICE in civil deportation, Paris Alston speaks with Boston City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune about how these issues impact Black immigrants.Find more content and subscribe to our YouTube channel. 

Entering the 2025-2026 school year, Massachusetts, like many states, struggles with dwindling literacy rates among its youth. To better understand the issues happening in and outside the classrooms, Paris invited GrubStreet Black Teaching Fellows, Jonathan Todd and Toni Bee, to unpack their teaching methodologies and experiences working with the underserved youth of the greater Boston area.Find more content and subscribe to our YouTube channel. 

NPR’s first national race-relations correspondent—discussed his retirement and the legacy of a career defined by fearless reporting on race, justice, and inequality. Martin, a multi-award-winning journalist,, shared personal reflections on his journey from Detroit to Boston, the formative experiences that shaped his voice, and his commitment to storytelling.Find more content and subscribe to our YouTube channel. 

In this powerful episode of GBH News Rooted, host Paris Alston sits down with Imari P. Jeffries and José C. Massó III to explore the vibrant spirit of Hispanic Heritage Month and the transformative energy behind the Embrace Con Salsa Festival. Together, they unpack how joy, music, and cultural celebration serve as acts of resistance—especially in communities of color facing systemic challenges like ICE crackdowns. This conversation is a tribute to resilience, heritage, and the power of coming together in defiance and delight.Find more content and subscribe to our YouTube channel. 

Black women lose over $1 million in lifetime earnings due to pay disparities and are routinely charged more for everyday goods—just for being who they are. In The Double Tax, Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman breaks down this brutal economic reality with sharp analysis and lived insight. She joins Paris Alston on Rooted to unpack the data, the history, and the truth behind why women of color are overcharged and underpaid.Find more content and subscribe to our YouTube channel. 

You've already got the news, but have you gotten to the root of it? Join Paris Alston weekly on Rooted where she explores topics in Black culture, navigating the news through nuance and politicizing pop culture.Find more content and subscribe to our YouTube channel.