Conversations With Enrique Cerna

When San Francisco 49er quarterback Colin Kaepernick refused to stand for the national anthem, he drew a firestorm of criticism and questions about his patriotism. Kaepernick says he is protesting racism and police brutality against communities of color. He continues to sit or kneel during the playing of the anthem and has been joined by other NFL players in support of his protest. Are his actions unpatriotic? Is his protest bringing awareness to racial divisions in the U.S.? Veteran Seattle sportswriter Art Thiel of SportspressNW.com and University of Washington political science professor Christopher Parker share their insights on this episode of Conversations.

Another busy week in Washington politics. Donald Trump breezed through our state, with a couple of big events in Everett on Tuesday. We have a governor's race and a U.S. Senate race coming up, and people are talking a lot about a handful of statewide initiatives. Joni Balter, KCTS 9 political analyst, teams with C.R. Douglas, political analyst at Q 13, to make sense of it. Join us for our podcast discussion about all that is happening -- yes, with a little attitude. KCTS 9's Vote 2016 Series continues.

This fall, David Domke will once again lead a pilgrimage into the Deep South to the landmarks where critical events happened during the Civil Rights Movement in the 50s and 60s. Domke, chair of the University Of Washington Department Of Communication, says this nine-day pilgrimage is not a vacation for the more than 50 participants. It is meant to be a journey where those involved will learn, grow and change in profound ways. Domke talks about how this pilgrimage came about, its impact on the students and community members who have participated on the trip and its significance in this time when racial divisions are widening in America.

Andre Taylor is on a mission. He is leading the charge on statewide initiative I-873, which would make it harder for police to evade prosecution in controversial shootings. Andre is the brother of Che Taylor, who was shot and killed last February by Seattle police officers outside the North Seattle home of a suspected drug dealer. The shooting is under investigation. Andre talks about his brother, the shooting and reactions to the initiative campaign by the African-American community and Seattle police.

Norm Stampers says America’s policing is in crisis. In a candid conversation, Stamper talks about how and why we have reached this crisis point. Seattle’s former top cop latest book is To Protect and Service: How to Fix America’s Police. He details what he sees as the current problems in policing, what needs to be fixed and he how to build public trust in law enforcement in these difficult times.

Daniel James Brown says his job in writing 'The Boys in the Boat' was to capture a great story and do justice to it. And he did. In a revealing conversation, Brown details how he found the story of nine University of Washington rowers who overcame tremendous odds to win gold and glory at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Their gold medal performance embarrassed Adolf Hitler’s Nazi propaganda machine and helped to put Seattle on the map as it overcame the difficult depression-era years.

Chris Gregoire, CEO of Challenge Seattle Can Seattle’s top CEO’s fix the region’s most challenging issues? From transportation to education, former Governor Chris Gregoire believes they can make a difference. Gregoire has taken on the CEO role of Challenge Seattle whose membership includes 17 leaders of the largest and most successful local companies. In conversation with Enrique Cerna, she explains the challenge she now faces in leading this powerful group to do more than just talk about bringing positive change to the region.

It has been 25 years since Los Angeles police officers were videotaped beating Rodney King after a high-speed chase. It was the first police brutality video to go viral. Four officers were criminally charged for the beating, but then acquitted by a mostly white jury. The acquittal set off the Los Angeles riots on April 29, 1992. Two days later, Rodney King pleaded for calm, asking “Can we all get along?” As a reporter for the Los Angeles Times, Kurt Streeter wrote about King and eventually became closely acquainted with him. Streeter talks about the Rodney King he came to know and how the beating, the acquittal, the riots and his death affected law enforcement and race relations in America.

New York Times best-selling author Suki Kim talks about her memoir Without You, There Is No Us, her time with the sons of North Korea’s elite. Kim spent six months in 2011 undercover in North Korea teaching the sons of the North Korea’s leadership. She spoke about her experience recently at Seattle University’s Search for Meaning Book Festival and then sat down with Enrique Cerna for an extended conversation about the journey.

What will be the impact of the Latino vote in the 2016 Presidential election? In 2012, Barack Obama received more than 70 percent of the Latino vote. Will Latinos turn out and vote at a high level in 2016? If Donald Trump is the Republican nominee, will he be a motivating factor for Latinos to support the Democrat nominee? University of Notre Dame political science professor Luis Fraga shares his insights. Fraga is the Arthur Foundation endowed professor of transformative Latino leadership. His research and teaching focuses on Latino politics, voting rights, immigration and the police of race and ethnicity.

National Book Award-winning author Tim Egan’s latest book is 'The Immortal Irishman: The Irish Revolutionary Who Became an American Hero'. It’s the fascinating story of the life and times of Thomas Francis Meagher, who, according to Egan, may be the most important and famous Irish American in our nation’s history.

Marcus Green walked away from a successful career in finance and investment in Southern California to return to his South Seattle roots. He wanted to give a voice to the people of South Seattle, an area, he says “that has had so much darkness casted on it via the mainstream media.” So he created a community based web publication called 'South Seattle Emerald' to shine a light on a part of the city that is often ignored. We talk about his journey to build the community news website, its stories and how it is working to change the perception of South Seattle and its residents. Marcus is the recipient of Crosscut’s 2015 Courage Award for Culture. He will be part of the panel on Race, Justice and Democracy: Where do we stand?, a town hall about race relations in Seattle co-produced by the Seattle Channel and KCTS 9 in partnership with Seattle City Club and Town Hall Seattle.

In part two, Seattle Black Panther party co-founder Elmer Dixon talks about the party’s show of force on the steps of the state Capitol in Olympia; how the mayor refused a request from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to provide the Seattle Police Department tactical support for their planned raid of the Seattle Black Panther Party offices, which allegedly held illegal weapons; the Seattle chapter’s breakfast and healthcare programs that helped the needy; and finally, the internal conflicts and informants that led to the demise of the Black Panthers in Seattle and elsewhere in the nation.

The Black Panther Party was founded 50 years ago in Oakland, Calif. In Seattle, two young brothers, Aaron and Elmer Dixon, with others, founded the Seattle chapter of the historic organization. In a two-part interview, Elmer Dixon explains what inspired him and his older brother to join the Black Panthers, its efforts to strengthen Seattle’s Black community, their confrontations with law enforcement, the party’s eventual demise and thoughts about today’s Black Lives Matters movement.

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray talks about the homelessness crisis with KCTS 9’s Enrique Cerna. He addresses his state of emergency declaration, the shooting in the Jungle, the citizen anger and frustration over the growing number of homeless in Seattle, and what some perceive as the city’s soft approach towards the homeless. The Mayor also talks about the Seattles Police Department’s progress in meeting reforms set out in the Department of Justice consent decree, race relations and what he thinks the presidential candidates should be talking about, but aren’t.

Fumiko Ishioka is the Executive Director of Tokyo’s Holocaust Education Resource Center. In a conversation with KCTS 9’s Enrique Cerna, she tells the incredible story of how a suitcase that belonged to a young Holocaust victim changed her life. It would take her on a journey of discovery that would lead to the writing of a widely-read book and acclaimed play titled 'Hana’s Suitcase', performed at Seattle’s Children’s Theatre for the first time.

Veteran political analysts Joni Balter and Peter Jackson weigh in on Congressman Jim McDermott’s retirement announcement. Who wants to replace the long-time, liberal Seattle Democrat after his 14 terms representing the 7th Congressional District? Plus, we look at the major statewide races and initiatives as we head into the 2016 election year.

Seattle Children’s Theatre Artistic Director Linda Hartzell and Sheri Biller, co-founder of the Les and Sheri Biller Family Foundation talk with KCTS 9’s Enrique Cerna about their efforts to bring the inspiring and emotional play 'Hana’s Suitcase' to Seattle. It is the true story of Japanese educator Fumiko Ishioka and her determination to uncover the story behind a suitcase with the name of Hana Brady, a victim of the Holocaust. The play is a production of Toronto’s Young People’s Theatre and for the first time it is being performed in Seattle.

What is it like being Muslim in these trying times? Nihal Fahim of Redmond, the mother of three daughters and the coordinator of a pre-school at an east side mosque, and Aneelah Afzali, a Harvard Law School graduate and Seattle area attorney, talk with KCTS 9’s Enrique Cerna about the challenges and misconceptions Muslims in America face, and their desire to inform and educate Americans about Islam.

Lorena Gonzalez made history in November when she became the first Latina elected and sworn in to Seattle City Council, Position 9. She joined seven other Latinas elected to city councils for the first time in Renton, Wenatchee and Yakima this election year. Gonzalez came from a family of farm workers and grew up in the central Washington community of Grandview, where a high school counselor told her that she was not college material. She talks with KCTS 9’s Enrique Cerna about overcoming those low expectations to eventually become a successful attorney, and breaking the glass ceiling in Seattle politics.