Linea Abierta Programming: February 24, 2025

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24

PROGRAM #10694 12:00 PM PT

Línea Abierta: 30 Years. Línea Abierta, the first and still only Spanish-language news/talk program on the nation’s public airwaves, is celebrating 30 years on the air. For three decades, the program has been serving as a space where top Latino newsmakers engage in solution-oriented conversations with listeners from around the nation. Top policymakers and community advocates help make government affairs and policy making more accessible to our communities, especially those who have been historically excluded from the public decision making process; science innovators engage in thought-provoking discussions that challenge conventional wisdom; and cultural gatekeepers debunk prevailing notions about Latinos and fight disinformation targeted at Latinos. In this program, key members of the team share experiences of their work as part of this community news media network.

Guests: Hugo Morales, Founder, Co-Executive Director, Radio Bilingüe, Fresno, CA; María Eraña, Former Managing Producer, Línea Abierta, Fresno, CA; Sara Shakir, Former Managing Producer, Línea Abierta, Los Angeles, CA; Zaidee Stavely, Former Managing Producer, Línea Abierta, Oakland, CA; Chelis López, Co-Host, San Francisco, CA; Gerardo Guzmán, Co-Host, Atlanta, GA; Citlali Sáenz, Co-Host, Mexico City; Samuel Orozco, Executive Producer/News Director, Fresno, CA.

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25

PROGRAM #10695 11:00 AM PT

Extra Edition: Tackling Maternal Deaths and Uncontrolled High Blood Pressure. Pregnancy-related deaths in the US have increased 140% over the past three decades, with cardiovascular disease being the leading cause of complications. Specifically, preeclampsia, a severe form of high blood pressure during pregnancy, has been linked to significantly higher risks of cardiovascular disease later in life. A leading heart-oriented organization is launching an effort to educate Latinas about the importance of heart health, improving high blood pressure control and promoting women’s health, especially among expectant and new moms. Experts discuss women’s heart health questions and provide advice.

Guest: Dr. Humberto Barragán, Family Medicine Physician, Dignity Health, Merced, CA.

CPR on Babies. More than 23,000 children suffer cardiac arrest each year, and about 20 percent are infants. Cardiac arrest also accounts for 10 to 15 percent of sudden, unexpected infant deaths. Could you save the life of an infant who is having a cardiac event? A heart health expert explains how to perform CPR and encourages parents of infants to take the fear out of performing CPR.

Guest: Dr. Johanna Contreras, Cardiologist, American Heart Association Volunteer, Director of the Division of Heart Failure at Mount Sinai St. Luke’s and Mount Sinai West, New York City, NY.

Recovery efforts after Eaton and Pacific Palisades fires. Following the Eaton and Pacific Palisades fires, farmworkers and day laborers joined volunteer brigades and assisted in the recovery from the fires, providing vital help to families and communities in need. With the guidance of the Pasadena Community Employment Center, a total of 175 workers and day laborers were trained and certified by OSHA as disaster site workers. What else is behind the solidarity of these workers? What other support did they receive, and from whom?

Guest: Araceli Martinez, Reporter, Los Angeles, CA.

PROGRAM #10696 12:00 PM PT

Línea Abierta at 30 Years. A day like today 30 years ago, Línea Abierta premiered at the gathering site of station members of the National Federation of Community Broadcasters in Albuquerque. Issues critical to immigrant communities, from Proposition 187 in California to the current national policy on mass deportations, have been a top focus of the service. Renowned advocates and legal experts who through the decades have examined the impact of immigration policies and provided useful advice for immigrants at risk, join this program to reflect on the journey and examine the road ahead.

Guests: Carlos Spector Calderón, Immigration Attorney, El Paso, TX; Rosalba Piña, Immigration Attorney, Chicago, IL; Juan Arámbula, Former California State Assemblymember, Fresno, CA.

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26

PROGRAM #10697 12:00 PM PT

Budget Plan, Immigration and Tax Breaks. The US Senate passed a budget resolution that would take money away from health care, student loans and food aid and to escalate funding for deportations and, later, tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy. The House votes this week on a reconciliation plan. What’s in the plans?

Guest: Rafael Medina, Director of Media Relations, Center for American Progress-CAP, Washington, DC.

Schools Warned to End DEI Programs. The Education Department is giving schools and colleges until this week to ban diversity initiatives DEI. The directive extends President Trump’s executive order banning diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Education experts discuss the ramifications. How would this order impact schools? How are school leaders reacting?

Guests: Jenny Muñiz, Senior Policy Advisor for Education, UnidosUS, Washington, DC; Norma C. Garces, Director, Academias La Paz, St. Paul, MN.

Mass Firing of Disaster Response Workers. FEMA fired hundreds of employees as part of a massive purge of federal workers. Scientists warn that these layoffs will disproportionately affect communities of color who are on the front lines of the climate crisis at a time when cold temperatures and extreme weather are breaking historical records.

Guest: Juan Declet-Barreto, Union of Concerned Scientists, Silver Spring, MD.

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27

PROGRAM #10698 11:00 AM PT

Extra Edition: Tongolele. Iconic Mexican dancer and actress Tongolele passed away at 93. Born as Yolanda Montes in Spokane, WA, Tongolele broke into stardom at a young age by blending Tahitian and Afro-Cuban dance rhythms. Línea Abierta features a repeat of a program originally aired on September 9, 1998. In this interview, Tongolele talks about her early days as a dancer, her rise as a star during the golden age of Mexican cinema, and her work with Benny Moré and other iconic Cuban musicians. The program also includes views from the author of a biographical book recently published in Mexico, and from Mexican writer and journalist Cristina Pacheco, who remembered how while still a girl, she and her friends were scolded by parents for trying to imitate Tongolele’s trademark “belly dancing.”

Guests: Yolanda Montes “Tongolele,” Mexican Cinema and Dance Icon; Cristina Pacheco, Mexican Journalist; Arturo García Hernández, Author of the Book “No Han Matado a Tongolele,” Mexico City.

PROGRAM #10699 12:00 PM PT

Sin Fronteras. This is the fourth program of “Sin Fronteras,” a special edition to serve audiences in Mexico City and other Mexican state capitals with breaking news and analysis about major developments impacting Latinos in the US.

Guests: Jose Lopez Zamorano, Reporter, Washington, DC; Ruben Tapia, Reporter/Producer, Los Angeles, CA; Jorge Eduardo Garcia, Reporter, Boston, MA.

From Fighting Fentanyl to Immigrant Crackdown. The DHS has ordered thousands of agents to focus on deporting people instead of drug cartels, and weapons and human trafficking, according to a major newspaper story.

Guest: Vanessa Cardenas, Executive Director, America’s Voice, Washington, DC.

Taco Passport. A Mexican restaurant owner is calling on taquerias in Texas to join a project called Taco Passport, a booklet that clients can use to donate money from their purchases to nonprofit groups that advocate for undocumented immigrants and DACA recipients. The author explains the initiative.

Guest: Miguel Cobos, Co-Owner, Vaquero Taquero, Austin, TX.

Haitian Refugees to Lose Protections. The Trump administration is ending protections for half a million TPS-covered Haitians in the US who, under this plan, would be deportable this summer. This policy follows up on controversial campaign messages that maligned Haitians in Springfield, Ohio.

Guest: Rep. Dotie Joseph, Florida Representative (D-108), North Miami, FL.

Immigrant activists on guard against ICE raids. A community patrol was organized by pro-immigrant groups in Southern California after rumors spread that ICE would be conducting a large deportation operation in the area. The community movement recently brought together more than 50 organizations and groups. How successful was that effort, and what did it consist of?

Guest: Adrián Álvarez, Community Activist and Member, Union del Barrio, Los Angeles, CA.

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28

PROGRAM #10700 12:00 PM PT

Mexico Edition. After the Trump Administration designated Mexican drug cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum sent a plan to Congress to crackdown against foreign intervention and US weapon traffickers. Legal and political experts comment on the legal authority, the practical impact and ramifications of the policies announced in both countries. These and other stories are discussed in this program.

Guest: Jesús García, Reporter and Editor of Politics, Immigration and National Affairs, Newspapers La Opinión and El Diario, New York, NY; excerpts from recent statements by Mexico’s President, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo.