Next New England

Severe storms. Heat waves. Rising seas. New England is already seeing the impacts of climate change, and scientists project they will become more deadly, shaping how we live and work in the northeastern U.S. This week on NEXT, in a special ahead of Inauguration Day, the New England News Collaborative and America Amplified look at climate change in our region and how President-elect Joe Biden’s administration could affect climate action. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Public school enrollment in New England is down during the pandemic. But even when kids are enrolled, it can be a struggle to get some to show up. This week on NEXT, how one district is tackling absenteeism and why doctors are increasingly concerned about youth mental health. Plus, Massachusetts school districts try to cope with a teacher shortage. And when a Vermonter’s business plummeted after COVID hit, she donned an inflatable T-Rex costume and started dancing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, in a special episode of NEXT, we listen to a collection of award-winning stories from the New England News Collaborative — from a retrospective on the couple that fought for marriage equality in Massachusetts, and later divorced, to a close look at a First Amendment dispute in New Hampshire. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The brothers behind New England’s famous R&B group Tavares are of Cape Verdean descent. This week on NEXT, what that means in a Black and white America. And an effort to change the name of Faneuil Hall in Boston continues as New Englanders grapple with the region’s racist past. Plus, how author Jennifer De Leon’s childhood experience informed her debut novel about school desegregation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most COVID-19 deaths in New England can be tied to long-term care facilities. This week on NEXT, how a nursing home – spared from the virus for months – got hit this fall. Plus, the number of lives we could save if we cut our transportation emissions. And we’ll hear how the “Fauci effect” is driving up medical school applications. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The first doses of a COVID-19 vaccine are expected to arrive as soon as mid-December, but it’s up to each state to figure out how to distribute the vaccines. This week on NEXT, we’ll hear about who gets priority in New England. Plus, some health experts question whether contract tracing is worth the investment. And as hunting license sales boom and more people hit the trails in northern New England, the benefits of getting outside. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on NEXT, North Atlantic right whales are under threat of extinction. Scientists say entanglement in fishing lines is the main cause of death, but changing the way New England lobstermen fish won’t be easy. Plus, we hear from young climate activists pushing Massachusetts lawmakers to pass a bill requiring climate change education in K-12 classrooms. And the banner and burden of the phrase #BlackGirlMagic. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When a group of immigrants started a community farm in a Yankee farming town, their presence was complicated by race and rural American identity. This week on NEXT, the story of Bami Farm in Rhode Island. Plus, how the pandemic has accelerated the debate over driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants in Massachusetts. And journalist Maria Hinojosa talks about what’s at stake if public media fails to become more diverse. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What we don’t learn in school can matter as much as the lessons we do learn. This week on NEXT, we talk to teachers and students about the harm of omitting stories and cultures from curricula — and how we can do better. It's a rebroadcast from our series of specials on “Racism in New England,” produced by the New England News Collaborative and America Amplified.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here’s the story that New England tells itself: Racism is a Southern problem. But our region’s abolitionist past hides a darker history of racism, slavery and white supremacy. It’s a legacy that lives with us today. This week on NEXT, we rebroadcast a special from our series on racism in New England — produced by the New England News Collaborative and America Amplified. This episode originally aired Sept. 17. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

America is taking a hard look at policing right now. Many wonder: can we trust the cops? In states across the country, the answer to that question is already out there – on secret lists kept by government lawyers. This week on NEXT, “The List” from New Hampshire Public Radio, which looks at one state’s decades of secrecy around police misconduct and asks: why do these lists exist? And if they were finally made public, would they solve our policing problems? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transgender and nonbinary people can face misgendering at the polls. This week on NEXT, how that can make voting especially stressful this election. And with Nov. 3 just around the corner, we hear from the Associated Press about its process for calling the presidential race … and about 7,000 others around the country. Plus, we talk to Boston hip-hop artist Latrell James about his life and what inspired the lyrics for his new EP “Under.” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In-person voting has started in some New England states. This week on NEXT, we talk about what’s driving people to vote early this general election. Plus, as temperatures warm due to climate change, toxic cyanobacteria are increasingly polluting our water. And we talk to author Jennifer De Leon about “Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From,” her new young adult novel set in Boston. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After years of strong support from Maine constituents, Republican Sen. Susan Collins is in one of her greatest political fights. This week on NEXT, how a few highly contested races in New England could impact party control at the national level. Plus, we’ll talk about how New Englanders are coping with a severe drought. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What we don’t learn in school can matter as much as the lessons we do learn. This week on NEXT, we talk to teachers and students about the harm of omitting stories and cultures from curricula — and how we can do better. It’s the final show in a special series on racism in New England, produced by the New England News Collaborative and America Amplified. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Racism is trauma. But for many of us, racism’s impact on mental health can be hard to talk about. This week on NEXT, we hear about the stressors of racism in New England and ways to get relief. It’s the third show in a special series on racism in New England — produced by the New England News Collaborative and America Amplified. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite progress in civil rights, segregated communities still exist throughout New England. This week on NEXT, we look at how housing laws and discrimination influence where we live. It’s the second show in a special series on racism in New England — produced by the New England News Collaborative and America Amplified. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here's the story that New England tells itself: Racism is a Southern problem. But our region's abolitionist past hides a darker history of racism, slavery and segregation. It's a legacy that lives with us today. This week on NEXT, we premiere a special series on racism in New England — produced by the New England News Collaborative and America Amplified. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The pandemic has been a balancing act for first-gen college students like Mikayla, who attends Brown University while worrying about her family back home. This week on NEXT, Mikayla’s audio diaries on navigating 2020 as an Ivy Leaguer and the daughter of undocumented immigrants. Plus, when a student gets COVID — what’s it like in the “isolation dorms”? And actor Luis Guzman on making Vermont his home. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Canadian court has determined the U.S. is no longer safe for refugees. This week on NEXT, we go to the border of Vermont and Canada to learn what this could mean for asylum seekers heading north. Plus, when a COVID-19 vaccine is approved, who will want one and who will get priority? And New Hampshire residents who commuted to Massachusetts before the pandemic are not keen on the state’s persisting income taxes as they work from home. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.