Old Hollywood’s depiction of the wild, wild West often leaves out the contributions of Black cowboys and cowgirls. In the late 1800s, historians estimate there were about 35,000 cowboys in the U.S., and about a third of them were believed to be Black. Bill Pickett was one of the most famous Black cowboys. Now, there’s an effort to continue his legacy while introducing a new generation to the rodeo. Producer Tara Cleary takes us to the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo.
80 of North Carolina’s 100 counties are rural, making it the most rural swing state. Canvassers with the non-profit Down Home North Carolina are traveling the distance to knock on the doors of residents in remote areas. Correspondent Jessica Gomez heads to Franklin County, North Carolina to see the effort that’s making sure everyone gets a voice in the Democratic process.
The presidential contest often overshadows the local races that sometimes have the most impact in your community. That means many voters head to the polls unaware of candidates and propositions happening in their area. Alex Niemczewski, the CEO and co-founder of BallotReady wants to change that. She talks to Soledad about the online resource that details thousands of races happening across the country and how the large number of uncontested races impact democracy.
This week, Matter of Fact heads to North Carolina, the battleground state with the most rural voters to find out why so many are disillusioned with the major political parties . Plus, the founder of the nonpartisan group, BallotReady, raises concerns about uncontested races across the country. And, we have the sights and sounds celebrating Black cowboys at the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo.
Gail Austin is a senior producer with more than a decade of experience in broadcast news. Before joining Matter of Fact, Gail was the deputy executive producer of National Public Radio’s flagship show, “Morning Edition,” and popular podcast, “Up First.” Joining Matter of Fact was a return to Hearst for Gail. She previously worked at Hearst for six years, most recently as a producer at Hearst Television’s Washington, D. C. News Bureau.
Filing taxes in the U.S. can be complicated, stressful and time-intensive. The IRS is aiming to fix this by piloting its own free online tax filing system at the beginning of 2024. Soledad O’Brien speaks with Nina Olson, the executive director at the Center for Taxpayer Rights and a former national taxpayer advocate at the IRS.
After an impressive major league baseball career that included a World Series win, left fielder Cleon Jones retired to his hometown in Alabama: Africatown, a Mobile neighborhood. Famous for being home to Clotilda, the last slave ship to arrive illegally in 1860, the community suffered through neglect and disinvestment for many years. Now, Jones and his wife Angela are hoping to change that – working to create a space worthy of its residents.
Seniors and their families are facing hard decisions with high costs of assisted living facilities. Many people are choosing to age at home with the support of caregivers. But, while the demand for home health care workers is high, few people want the job due to low pay and few benefits. Dan Lieberman meets with caregivers and their clients in North Carolina, who share how they’re struggling to meet the growing need.
This week on Matter of Fact, a severe staffing shortage of home care workers is leading to worries for aging Americans. Plus, the IRS is piloting a free online filing system for taxpayers. And, a former major league baseball star is going to bat for his Alabama hometown.
Mariko Bennett, a life coach and author of ”The Blueprint to Manifest Your Dreams,” believes in the power of manifesting. In her chat with Soledad, Mariko lays out why everyone should manifest, how to make reasonable goals, and how to bounce back after falling short of those goals.