In The Thick
689 episodes - English - Latest episode: 10 months ago - ★★★★★ - 1.9K ratingsJournalists tell you what you’re missing from the mainstream news. Co-hosted by award-winning journalists Maria Hinojosa and Julio Ricardo Varela, IN THE THICK has the conversations about race, identity and politics few people are discussing or want to discuss.
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Episodes
#36: A Bouquet of Bigotry
November 02, 2016 21:56 - 30 minutes - 28 MBAfter appearing on MSNBC this weekend, Maria Hinojosa went viral—for explaining why language is important when talking about undocumented immigrants. On this week’s episode, Maria talks with Julio Ricardo Varela about her appearance, and Julio leads a discussion on the same topic with Jelani Cobb, Staff Writer for the New Yorker, and Julianne Hing, reporter for The United States of Anxiety. They discuss the dangers of calling someone “illegal” and how violence is often treated diffe...
#35: Fair and Unbalanced?
October 26, 2016 18:56 - 27 minutes - 25.4 MBThis election season, it’s been hard to break out of Donald Trump’s orbit. The last few weeks, we’ve been dissecting all of Trump’s mistakes, so this week, we take on Hillary Clinton, specifically her stance on criminal justice reform. We also respond to some viewer criticism and discuss how we can cover this election as responsible journalists. Julio Ricardo Varela leads a discussion with Sandra Lilley, Managing Editor of NBC Latino, Aaron Morrison, Senior Staff Writer at Mic.com, ...
#34: The Master Debaters
October 20, 2016 22:51 - 18 minutes - 17.3 MBWe’ve at last hit the final presidential debate. While this time around there were less personal digs and more focus on policy, we still didn’t escape the debate without some trending soundbites (cue “hambres”). And we finally got a discussion on immigration... sort of. But that’s where we fill the void. Julio Ricardo Varela leads a discussion about deportation, trojan horses, and rigged elections with Lauren Victoria Burke, writer for NBC News and The Root, and Angela Maria Kelley,...
BONUS: Fear and Violence in 2016
October 17, 2016 21:23 - 16 minutes - 14.8 MBIn advance of our final post-debate episode this coming Thursday, we decided to check in on the current state of the election. And it’s not pretty. Donald Trump is facing 16 accusations of sexual assault or sexual harassment, and he is stoking the fear of the electorate with claims that the election could be rigged. Maria Hinojosa discusses this and more with Julio Ricardo Varela, Political Editor for the Futuro Media Group. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast....
#33: The Debate We Deserve?
October 10, 2016 22:17 - 27 minutes - 25.2 MBWhat led to the circus that was Sunday night’s debate, and how does that reflect on us as a country? Also, what did we miss by having white moderators who may not have the life experience to reflect on issues that are important to communities of color? Host Maria Hinojosa leads a discussion with Jamilah Lemieux, Vice President of News and Men's Programming for Interactive One, Wajahat Ali, attorney, playwright, and commentator, and Julio Ricardo Varela, Political Editor for the Futu...
#32: "That Mexican Thing"
October 05, 2016 22:17 - 25 minutes - 23.2 MBVice presidential debates are supposed to be undercards to the their presidential counterparts, but did Governor Mike Pence’s call to not whip out “that Mexican thing” cause more problems for Donald Trump with voters of color? Julio Ricardo Varela leads a conversation about immigration, terrorism, and implicit bias with Aaron Morrison, Senior Staff Writer at Mic.com, Sayu Bhojwani, Founder and President of The New American Leaders Project, and Maria Hinojosa, President of the Futur...
#31: With Debated Breath
September 27, 2016 22:33 - 33 minutes - 31 MBIt was THE most anticipated political event of the election season: the first presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. For this special early week release show, we ask: what were the debate’s best moments? What were the worst? Did facts even matter? And after so much talk about building a wall, where was a conversation on immigration? Host Maria Hinojosa leads a discussion with Fusion’s Political Correspondent Terrell Starr, Radio Menea co-host Verónica Bayetti ...
#30: Why Is the US Afraid of Immigrants?
September 21, 2016 22:00 - 26 minutes - 24.5 MBAfter last weekend's attack in New York City, the country is once again intensely focused on immigration. Much of this debate stems from fear, but for such an emotional issue, how much can facts really do to change people’s minds? And with Donald Trump facing so much criticism on his immigration policy, do Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and the Democrats really deserve a pass? Julio Ricardo Varela leads a conversation with Liz Llorente, Politics Editor for Fox News Latino, and Kai ...
#29: Sickness and Sexism
September 14, 2016 21:43 - 28 minutes - 25.9 MBHillary Clinton faced a storm of criticism about her health this week, but how much of this is due to sexism? And Donald Trump continues to push the limits of what he can say, but are people even noticing? Julio Ricardo Varela leads a conversation with Daniella Leger, Senior Vice President for Communications and Strategy at the Center for American Progress, and Jessica Byrd, founder of Three Point Strategies, a consulting firm focused on electing people of color. For information r...
#28: Of Taco Trucks and American Flags
September 07, 2016 22:06 - 30 minutes - 28.1 MBLast week, Donald Trump visited Mexico and an African-American church in Detroit, but was he really addressing people of color, or were these speeches simply dog whistles designed to show white voters that he that he connects with communities of color? Also, quarterback Colin Kaepernick continues to silently protest the National Anthem. We ask: “What does the American flag really mean?” Maria Hinojosa leads a discussion with Jamil Smith, Senior National Correspondent at MTV News, J...
#27: It's All in the Clips
August 24, 2016 21:27 - 22 minutes - 20.9 MBWe’re off next week, so we decided to look back at some of our favorite In The Thick moments over the last few months. Maria Hinojosa and Julio Ricardo Varela break down their favorite clips, and--now with hindsight--they also discuss how these moments fit with the current political climate. We’ll see you again on Wednesday, September 7! For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
#26: Puerto Rico, You Lovely Island
August 17, 2016 21:25 - 25 minutes - 23.4 MBThis week, tennis player Monica Puig won Puerto Rico’s first ever gold medal—which has led many to wonder, why does Puerto Rico have its own Olympians, if it’s part of the US? In short: it’s complicated. Maria Hinojosa leads a discussion about the almost unbelievably complex relationship between Puerto Rico and the US with guests Sandra Lilley, Managing Editor of NBC Latino, Natascha Otero, a leader of South Florida’s chapter of the National Puerto Rican Agenda, and Julio Ricardo...
#25: It's Not Racist to Report on Race
August 10, 2016 22:00 - 29 minutes - 27.1 MBBuilding a wall to stop immigration. Police killing black men. A politician banning Muslims. As America erupts over race and ethnicity, many reporters of color feel it’s their obligation to lead the conversation dividing the country. Maria Hinojosa leads a discussion with New York Times reporter Yamiche Alcindor, Washington Post reporter Wesley Lowery, and Julio Ricardo Varela, Political Editor at the Futuro Media Group. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/...
#24: What Is a "Good" Person of Color?
August 03, 2016 21:47 - 22 minutes - 21 MBWhile Democrats are patting themselves on the back after Khizr Khan’s speech, does their embrace actually go deeper than the surface? Is the Democratic Party actually doing as good a job with communities of color as prominent Democrats claim? And has Donald Trump finally gone over the line? Maria Hinojosa leads a discussion with Linda Sarsour, prominent civil rights activist, Terrell J. Starr, National Political Correspondent for Fusion, and Julio Ricardo Varela, Political Editor fo...
BONUS: Let's Play Two at the DNC
July 28, 2016 12:00 - 19 minutes - 18.2 MBWe recorded so much great material in our week at the DNC that we decided to make a bonus DNC episode. Maria Hinojosa talks with four prominent politicians, advisors, and activists of color: Bill Richardson, former US Energy Secretary and New Mexico Governor; Dolores Huerta, civil rights leader and co-founder of the National Farm Workers Association; Bill Velazquez, National Director for Latino outreach for Bernie Sanders’ campaign; and Jose Antonio Vargas, journalist and immigratio...
#23: Live from the 2-1-5: On The Road at the DNC
July 27, 2016 21:52 - 23 minutes - 21.6 MBWeeks ago, no one could have predicted such intrigue at the Democratic National Convention. But beyond Wikileaks and the strident support for Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton faces a skeptical public whose enthusiasm for her is in question. Maria Hinojosa takes the show to the DNC in Philadelphia for a lively conversation with Jamil Smith, Senior National Correspondent at MTV News, Michele Jawando, Vice President for Legal Progress at the Center for American Progress, and Julio Ricar...
#22: Hello Cleveland: On the Road at the RNC
July 20, 2016 21:29 - 24 minutes - 22.8 MBThis week, In The Thick is in Cleveland covering the 2016 Republican National Convention. How do prominent conservative Latinos feel about Trump as their nominee? What can Trump do to gain their full support? And what does the future hold for the GOP's relationship with communities of color? Maria Hinojosa speaks with Daniel Garza, Executive Director of the Libre Initiative, Bettina Inclán, a Republican consultant and the former Director for Hispanic Outreach at the Republican Natio...
#21: Law and Order: IS It Black and White?
July 13, 2016 22:10 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBWith the recent tragedies in Baton Rogue, Falcon Heights, and Dallas, the topic of race and policing has dominated the national dialogue. Are we asking too much of police? Can we move forward to create more trust between police and communities of color? And will Bernie Sanders’ endorsement of Hillary Clinton impact progress on police reform? Maria Hinojosa leads a discussion with Tracey Meares, Professor at Yale Law School and former member of President Obama’s Task Force on 21st Ce...
#20: The Clash of Immigration and Affirmative Action
July 06, 2016 22:21 - 19 minutes - 18.1 MBWith a nod to punk rockers The Clash, the question of 'who should stay and who should go' was at the heart of two decisions at the end of the U.S. Supreme Court session. Who should stay in the America and who should go to college were behind rulings on immigration and affirmative action. Maria Hinojosa leads a discussion with Debo Adegbile, lawyer and former Director-Counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Victoria DeFrancesco Soto, professor at the University of...
#19: Police and Communities of Color
June 29, 2016 19:38 - 18 minutes - 17.2 MBPoliticians often talk about race when it serves their agendas. Recently the racial spotlight has been on police departments, especially in Baltimore and Oakland, where events have damaged trust in both forces. Maria Hinojosa leads a discussion from the Aspen Ideas Festival with former Tucson Police Chief Roberto Villaseñor and DeRay Mckesson, activist, co-creator of Campaign Zero and a prominent member of the Black Lives Matter movement. For information regarding your data priv...
#18: “So, You Call Yourself an American?”
June 22, 2016 22:42 - 24 minutes - 22.6 MBThis election renews the question of what it means to be an American. How should we define fundamental American values in light of the Orlando murders, the debate over gun rights, and politicians stoking our worst fears? Maria Hinojosa leads a discussion with Wajahat Ali, attorney, playwright and commentator, Verónica Bayetti Flores, freelance writer, and co-host of Radio Menea, and Julio Ricardo Varela, Political Editor for the Futuro Media Group. For information regarding your da...
#17: Orlando: From Personal to Politics
June 15, 2016 23:23 - 25 minutes - 23.7 MBMany were Latinos, Latinas, and members of the LGBTQ community. But in the initial days after the Orlando terror attack, more attention was given to the potential tie to ISIS than to the victims' intersectional identities. Maria Hinojosa leads a discussion with Verónica Bayetti Flores, freelance writer and co-host of Radio Menea, Shadi Hamid, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, and Julio Ricardo Varela, Political Editor with the Futuro Media Group. For information regarding...
#16: Crossing the Line
June 08, 2016 22:10 - 18 minutes - 17.3 MBThis week Hillary Clinton crosses a finish line that not all Democrats feel she’s reached, while Donald Trump crosses a different line that is challenging Republican support. Maria Hinojosa leads a discussion with Jason Johnson, Politics Editor for The Root and Julio Ricardo Varela, Political Editor with the Futuro Media Group. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
#15: Latino Conservatives
June 01, 2016 21:59 - 22 minutes - 20.2 MBLatino support for Republicans Presidential candidates has been steadily falling, slipping from 40% support in 2004 to 27% in 2012. But could conservative Latinos stop this decline and help Donald Trump win? Maria Hinojosa leads a discussion with Daniel Garza, Executive Director of the Libre Initiative, Angela Maria Kelley, Executive Director of the Center for American Progress Action Fund, and Julio Ricardo Varela, Political Editor with the Futuro Media Group. For information rega...
#14: The Forgotten Asian-American Vote
May 25, 2016 22:11 - 22 minutes - 20.2 MBIn 1992, George Bush won the Asian-American vote by 24%, but in 2008, Barack Obama won it by 47%. With the potential to help both parties, why are these voters largely being ignored this election year? Julio Ricardo Varela, Political Editor with the Futuro Media Group, leads a discussion with Boston City Council President Michelle Wu, and Jeff Yang, featured contributor at CNN. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy See acast.com/privacy for priva...
#13: The Democrats’ Big, Hot Mess
May 18, 2016 22:09 - 21 minutes - 19.7 MBBernie Sanders’s surprising string of success raises questions of Hillary Clinton’s vulnerability now and in November. Listen in as Julio Ricardo Varela, Political Editor with the Futuro Media Group, leads a discussion with Daniella Gibbs Léger, Senior Vice President for Communications and Strategy at the Center for American Progress and Tarini Parti, Capitol Hill Reporter for BuzzFeed News. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy See acast.com/pri...
#12: The Key to a Coalition
May 11, 2016 22:13 - 22 minutes - 20.7 MBThe passion behind each Presidential campaign ranges from the revolution of Bernie Sanders to the populism of Donald Trump to the prospect of the first woman President in Hillary Clinton. But is there a way for one campaign to break through? Maria Hinojosa leads a discussion with Tara Houska, Native American Advisor to the Bernie Sanders campaign, Jason Johnson, Politics Editor for The Root, and Julio Ricardo Varela, Political Editor with the Futuro Media Group. For information reg...
#11: Trump: The New GOP Norm?
May 04, 2016 22:32 - 22 minutes - 20.2 MBA funny thing happened on the road to the nomination for President: Donald Trump became the new brand of the Republican Party. Maria Hinojosa leads a discussion with independent journalist Wajahat Ali, Amanda Terkel, Senior Political Reporter for the Huffington Post, and Julio Ricardo Varela, Political Editor with the Futuro Media Group. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
#10: Passion vs. Pragmatism
April 27, 2016 22:10 - 21 minutes - 20 MBPersonality has always played a role in politics, but this year the frontrunners have two distinct character traits. Donald Trump has connected with voters through his passion while Hillary Clinton has succeeded through her pragmatism. Maria Hinojosa leads a discussion with Liz Llorente, Politics Editor/Senior Reporter for Fox News Latino; Darren Sands, Political Reporter for BuzzFeed News; and Julio Ricardo Varela, Political Editor with the Futuro Media Group. For information rega...
#9: Escape from New York
April 20, 2016 22:09 - 18 minutes - 16.7 MBThe New York presidential primary resulted in lopsided victories for Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. But questions remain over disenfranchised voters and rules that prevented millions from casting a ballot. Join Julio Ricardo Varela, Political Editor with the Futuro Media Group, as he dissects the election with Basil Smikle, Executive Director of the New York State Democratic Party and Hadas Gold, Media Reporter for Politico. For information regarding your data privacy, visit aca...
BONUS: New York Debate Recap
April 15, 2016 18:19 - 12 minutes - 11.9 MBSurprise! We’ve got a special post-debate mini-episode for you. We sent our producer Noam Hassenfeld to the Democratic debate at the Brooklyn Navy Yards, and he’s here to tell us about his experience. Noam and guest host Julio Ricardo Varela recap the debate, highlighting several important moments, including Clinton’s reliance on Obama, the candidates’ foreign policies, and the lack of discussion of communities of color. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/...
#8: The New York Narrative
April 13, 2016 21:58 - 19 minutes - 17.8 MBBernie Sanders has won 7 of the last 8 contests. So on the eve of the New York primary, has the media been slow in changing its narrative that Hillary Clinton has the nomination all wrapped up? Maria Hinojosa leads a discussion with Adrian Carrasquillo, Political Reporter and Editor of Latino coverage for BuzzFeed News; Jane Coaston, Political Reporter for MTV News; and Julio Ricardo Varela, Political Editor with the Futuro Media Group. For information regarding your data privacy, ...
#7: Is Ted Cruz Downplaying His Latino Identity?
April 06, 2016 21:53 - 19 minutes - 17.7 MBRepublican Ted Cruz is riding a wave after his resounding victory in the Wisconsin Primary. But in order to appeal to his base of supporters, has Cruz been downplaying his Latino heritage? Maria Hinojosa leads a discussion with Bettina Inclán, political strategist and former Director of Hispanic Outreach for the Republican National Committee, Tim Mak, Senior Correspondent for The Daily Beast, and Julio Ricardo Varela, Political Editor with the Futuro Media Group. For information re...
#6: The Sanders Swing Vote—Young People of Color
March 30, 2016 20:47 - 17 minutes - 16.2 MBBernie Sanders is riding a wave of momentum after sweeping three contests. Is there an unspoken swing vote —young people of color— behind Sanders' success? Futuro Media Group’s Julio Ricardo Varela leads a lively discussion with Boston Globe editorial writer Marcela García and Basil Smikle, Executive Director of the New York State Democratic Party. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. ...
#5: Brussels, Cuba and the Western Primaries
March 23, 2016 22:11 - 21 minutes - 19.7 MBThe Presidential campaigns compete with big world events: the terrorist attacks in Brussels and President Obama’s historic visit to Cuba. Futuro Media Group’s Julio Ricardo Varela leads a lively discussion with NBC Latino’s Suzanne Gamboa and independent journalist Wajahat Ali. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
#4: Staying Objective in Donald Trump's New Political Landscape
March 16, 2016 23:55 - 29 minutes - 27 MBAt what point is the political media's coverage of the Donald Trump campaign unbiased? Should Cokie Roberts' stance about objectivity be taken into consideration during this political season, where anti-Mexican and anti-Muslim rhetoric has reached levels no one expected? Host Maria Hinojosa leads the discussion with political writer and columnist Wajahat Ali, Hadas Gold of POLITICO and Julio Ricardo Varela of the Futuro Media Group. For information regarding your data privacy, visi...
#3: Debunking Political Myths After Super Tuesday
March 02, 2016 23:51 - 21 minutes - 20 MBThe Super Tuesday results are in and the clear winners are Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. What else came out of Super Tuesday? Trump's position on Planned Parenthood, Marco Rubio wins a participation trophy and Bernie Sanders may not actually be that far behind. Listen to host Maria Hinojosa talk Super Tuesday with Amanda Terkel, senior political reporter for Huffington Post, Darren Sands, political reporter for BuzzFeed News, and Julio Ricardo Varela, political editor at the Fut...
#2: With Four Contests Down, Will It Be Trump vs. Hillary?
February 24, 2016 21:36 - 20 minutes - 18.6 MBThis week on In The Thick, Maria Hinojosa is joined by Basil Smikle, Executive Director of the New York State Democratic Party, Tarini Parti, BuzzFeed reporter covering Capitol Hill, and Julio Ricardo Varela, Futuro Media Group's resident political editor. Listen to their predictions on Party nominations, VP selections and the Latino Vote in advance of Super Tuesday. We get our guests to speculate on whether the vote will be Trump versus Hillary in November and what strategies they'...
#1: After the New Hampshire Primary
February 11, 2016 22:42 - 16 minutes - 15.3 MBIt's the day after the New Hampshire primary. What will happen now? Joining Maria Hinojosa are Suzanne Gamboa of NBC News, Izzy Ortega of Opportunity Lives and Julio Ricardo Varela of Futuro Media Group. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.