Off-Duty Cop-Teen Tussle in Anaheim, CA: Racism or Making America Great Again?

02/24/17 • 30 min

Did you see the videos of the incident between an off-duty cop in Anaheim, CA and a teenage boy? It's shocking and disturbing on so many levels. Let's just say I'm glad I'm not a teenager in 2017, where walking on someone's lawn might end in a way similar to what happened. This week, I'm opening up the lines to hear from you... Did you have a chance to view the videos? What's your take on what allegedly happened? Should the cop have been taken into custody along with the 13 year old and another teen who was charged? How do you feel about the protests that have been growing outside the cop's home? How does this hurt or help race relations in America? Why is shit like this always going down in California? Is this an example of what Trump means by his slogan" Make America Great Again?"

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"Americano" Film Project Challenges Notions of Patriotism & Citizenship

Filmmakers Tim Viola (Twitter/IG: @tviola) and Kris Mendoza (Twitter: @krismendozzzaaa; IG: @maestrofilmworks) chat with host Tieshka Smith about "Americano," an exciting and very timely new film project slated for production right here in the city of Philadelphia. Americano is about a Syrian refugee who desperately chases US citizenship only to have it ripped away by a corrupt statesman, but not before inspiring the beginnings of a resistance. Conceived well before Trump came on the political scene, Americano tackles the preconceived notions that we have about Muslim immigrants, turning them on their head. It asks viewers to consider this fundamental question: What if the patriot we need right now, isn’t a citizen? We'll talk about this exciting new project, why Philadelphia is the perfect setting for it, why we need a film like this right now, and the ways in which the community can get involved. Check out Americano on the web: Website: http://americanoshortfilm.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmericanoMovieIG: @americanofilm ABOUT AMERICANO: Americano is a short, independent film written and directed by Tim Viola. Inspired by the hope and sacrifice of the American dream, Viola wanted to capture what the true core of this idea is and to remind Americans of the promise that lies in every individual. Viola teamed with award-winning filmmaker Kris Mendoza and Guillermo Cameo as Director of Photography. Cameo's projects have been featured all over the world. The cast includes Adam Budron, Rick Schnieder, Melody Vargas, and Esin Varan.

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Philadelphia's Bethlehem & Sad Patrick Make Music About Love, Struggle, Healing

Join me as I chat with and play some songs by Bethlehem and Sad Patrick, members of the Philadelphia-based musical duo Be Sad Music. We'll talk about their 5+ year collaboration and themes of love, struggle and healing in their music. Bethlehem, a singer, songwriter and self-described "vocussionist," was described as “Germantown’s next rising star” by WHYY/NewsWorks Philadelphia after the release of her first solo album, “Bigger Than Music”. Sad Patrick, a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, was kicked out of the Calliope School of Folk Music when he started using “jazz” chords. The duo, and their songs about love, love lost, and love that is better off lost, have won audiences over at notable performances at genre-spanning events throughout Philadelphia and beyond. “The local duo blends the focused minimalism and poetic lyrics of folk tradition with simmering, freewheeling jazz and blues — slick guitars, soaring vocals, nuanced melodies.” - John Vettese, WXPN The Key and Key Studio Sessions “Bethlehem brings raw, unapologetic gospel energy to Sad Patrick’s songs. – Homer Jackson, Philadelphia Jazz Project Go to their website for more info!