Linea Abierta Programming: September 23, 2024

Special Election Coverage. This week, as part of our “Hacia el Voto 2024” series, Línea Abierta continues offering an expanded two-hour program block to offer news and analysis on the November election, with a focus on the Latino vote, the top issues driving the vote, key races in battleground states, and the most relevant state ballot propositions.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23
PROGRAM #10516 11:00 AM PT

Latino GDP Grows Fast. (Program Repeat). The US Latino GDP has surpassed even last year’s historic high and it grew faster than the GDP of any of the world’s top 10 economies, including China. US Latinos have been reaffirmed as the fifth largest economy in the world. These findings on the tremendous growth and economic output of Latinos are part of the latest U.S. Latino GDP report conducted by a distinguished research team. This program was originally aired on September 19, 2024.

Guest: Dr. David Hayes-Bautista, Chief of Demographics, Latino GDP Project and Director, Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture UCLA Los Angeles, CA.

Latino Conservation Week. After 2024 saw the hottest summer on record, Latinos are encouraged to go out to parks, mountains, deserts and beaches and raise their voice to protect the environment and wildlife. During Latino Conservation Week, community organizations nationwide encourage Latinos to connect with mother nature and their ancestral roots.

Guests: Arturo Angeles, Conservation Communications Associate, Hispanic Access Foundation, San Diego, CA; Luis Cruz, Community Navigator, Hispanic Access Foundation, San Jose, CA.

PROGRAM #10517 12:00 PM PT

Banning Deepfakes, Threats of AI. California Governor Gavin Newsom signed landmark legislation to ban deepfakes and other deceptive digitally altered or created images, audio, or video recordings meant to give the impression that a candidate or elected official did or said something they did not do or say. A news reporter explains and an academic analyst comments on this law and on the new threats to US democracy from the use of artificial intelligence and the spread of misinformation among Latino communities.

Guest: Dr. Roberto Mejias, Professor of Computer Information Systems, Colorado State University at Pueblo-CSU Pueblo, Pueblo, CO.

Texas Purged One Million from Voter Rolls. Texas removed over one million people from its voter rolls since Republican legislators passed a sweeping voter suppression law three years ago. The Republican governor said the people who’ve been removed include voters who moved out of Texas, are deceased or are noncitizens. Are legitimate voters among them?

Guest: Juan Proaño, CEO, League of United Latin American Citizens-LULAC, Miami FL.

Texas Targets Mail-In Voter Registrations. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is escalating his fight against some of the most populous and largely Latino counties in the state, threatening Bexar, Travis and Harris counties for sending out unsolicited voter registration applications. Paxton claims their mailing of voter registration forms would either “confuse” noncitizens about their eligibility to vote, or “induce” them to fraudulently register. Civil rights leaders react to recent developments on the legal clash.

Guest: Manuel Garza, Field Director, Southwest Voter Registration Education Project, San Antonio, TX.

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24
PROGRAM #10518 11:00 AM PT

Cities Banning Homeless Camps, and More News. After the U.S. Supreme Court allowed cities to crack down on homeless camps, more than two dozen California cities have passed, strengthened or are considering ordinances penalizing people for sleeping outside. Political analysts provide an update and examine recent announcements by Gov. Newsom on new legislation about housing and homelessness. They also discuss Proposition 1, a state ballot measure to tackle the worsening homelessness and mental health crisis in California.

Guest: Miguel Carrera, Lead Housing Justice Organizer, Coalition on Homelessness, San Francisco, CA.

PROGRAM #10519 12:00 PM PT

Immigration Edition. Pro immigrant leaders urge all candidates to stop the incitement of violence towards Haitian communities in Springfield after Haitians in that Ohio community have faced a number of bomb threats and Haitian communities across the country live in a state of fear. On more news, on Citizenship Day, immigrant-service organizations came together to offer legal expertise and support as lawful permanent residents take the final steps toward citizenship. In recent days, they lead a nationwide, bilingual, U.S. citizenship eligibility call screening service to verify the eligibility of callers for naturalization. On other news, immigrant advocacy groups sent a letter to U.S. ICE urging for the immediate release of immigrants who have already won their cases and yet remain in detention centers.

Guests: Maribel Hastings, Director, America’s Voice en Español, Washington, DC; Martha Gonzalez, National Manager for US Citizenship Services, National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials-NALEO Educational Fund, Fontana CA; Rigoberto Hernandez, Martinez, Former ICE Detainee in California, Greenfield, CA; Julio Rodriguez, Political Director, Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition, Philadelphia, PA.

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25
PROGRAM #10520 11:00 AM PT

The SAVE Act. Republicans are pushing for the House spending bill to include the SAVE Act, in order to ensure only citizens can vote and “prevent millions of illegal aliens from voting.” The measure, the Safeguard and Protect Elections from Noncitizen Voting Act, requires proof of citizenship to register to vote.

Guest: Jose Lopez Zamorano, News Contributor, Washington, DC.

Noncitizens Voting: A Conspiracy Theory. A team of social researchers is checking allegations on noncitizens voting and conclude that it is not possible for noncitizens to engage in widespread voter fraud. In this interview, guest analysts discuss the most common misconceptions about this issue and address questions such as: How does federal law and state governments use measures to ensure that only eligible citizens vote? What role do allegations of noncitizen voting play in our politics?

Guest: Santiago Sueiro, Senior Policy Advisor, UnidosUS, Virginia Beach, VI.

Voter Registration Deadlines. October 7 is the last day to register to vote in Arizona. Working against the clock, dozens of community canvassers are going door to door to register thousands of new voters in this swing state. Young organizers discuss the new campaign.

Guest: Jessica Chavarria, Communications Specialist, Mi Familia Vota, Phoenix, AZ.

PROGRAM #10521 12:00 PM PT

Cancer Patient Tells About Novel Treatment. Dr. Humberto M. Guiot was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year. After dealing with complications of chemotherapy and the cancer continued to spread, he found hope in genetic testing. He engaged in a clinical trial and within days he began to feel better. He now shares his story with us.

Guest: Dr. Humberto M. Guiot, Interim Executive Director, University of Puerto Rico Comprehensive Cancer Center, American Association for Cancer Research, San Juan. PR.

Cancer: The Push for Early Detection. Joining the national week against cancer, the National Alliance for Hispanic Health launched a campaign to provide resources to help Latino families across the country take proactive steps to reduce their risk of cancer. They are also urging Congress to pass crucial legislation to allow Medicare to cover new, advanced early detection tests for multiple types of cancer. Medicare beneficiaries account for 60% of cancer cases in the United States.

Guest: Priscilla Cabral-Perez, Spokesperson, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Los Angeles, CA.

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26

PROGRAM #10522 11:00 AM PT

Julián Castro on Latino Voters. California voters face crucial decisions in the November election and the about 9 million Latinos will be more critical than ever. What are the primary issues driving Latino voters’ concerns for the 2024 elections? What are their views on key political races, propositions, and policies? How enthusiastic are they about the election? A prominent philanthropic leader in California gives insights into Latino voters’ attitudes towards the 2024 election and talks about how Latinos engagement could shape election outcomes.

Guest: Julián Castro, Chief Executive Officer, Latino Community Foundation, Fresno, CA.

Power of Latinas in Battleground Districts. As the voting age population has grown, Latina voters in California are positioned to play a significant role, especially in key battleground districts. In this interview, analysts comment on the top issues driving Latina interest in voting and the reasons why so many Latina No Party Preference voters feel disconnected from major political parties.

Guests: Melissa Vargas, Senior Policy Advisor, Communities for a New California, Washington, DC; Pablo Rodríguez, Founding Executive Director, Communities for a New California, Sacramento CA.

PROGRAM #10523 12:00 PM PT

Saving Colorado River Water. Utah’s water supply faces a precarious future. With less water because of the severe drought and competition for the Colorado River, ranches and farms are struggling to cut their water use to survive. To help farmers and ranchers modernize their irrigation system, the state has created a program to pay for new and efficient equipment. Since agriculture uses the lion’s share of water, Utah is counting on this program to save water for communities and rivers downstream. Local reporters and analysts have been invited to discuss the future of this effort.

Guests: Edgar Zuñiga, Director de Programación,Avanza 88.3 FM KUUB, Salt Lake City, UT; Alex Hager, News Reporter Covering the Colorado River Basin, KUNC 91.5 FM, Greely, CO; Juan Roberto Madrid, Environmental Advocate, GreenLatinos, Gunnison, CO.

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27

PROGRAM #10524 11:00 AM PT

“Fake News, Truths and Your Vote.” (Program Repeat). Voting citizens interested in the 2024 election and representatives from student and community-based organizations share stories about cases of election misinformation, the dangers these false narratives pose, the way they recognize fake news, and how they counter the false narratives. This program, originated with a live audience from the auditorium of Madera Community College in California, was first aired on September 17, 2024.

Guests: Alma Martínez, Executive Director, Central Valley Journalism Collaborative, Merced, CA; Ricardo Sandoval-Palos, Public Editor, PBS, Washington, DC; Alfredo Corchado, Executive Director, Puente News Collaborative, El Paso, TX; Rafael Olavarria, Politics and Migration Fact-checker, Factchequeado, Atlanta, GA.

PROGRAM #10525 12:00 PM PT

Mexico Edition. Mexico is preparing for the inauguration of Mexico’s first female president, Claudia Sheinbaum. The ceremony will be held –for the first time in history– on October 1. After addressing Congress, the president will go to the capital’s Zócalo plaza to deliver a second message to her supporters. Analysts comment on this period of transition and other issues.

Guests: Omar Gómez Trejo, Former Prosecutor in the Ayotzinapa Case, Mexico City, MX; Dr. Gaspar Rivera Salgado, Project Director, UCLA Center for Mexican Studies and Director, UCLA Labor Center, Los Angeles, CA; excerpts from recent statements by Mexico’s President, Andrés Manuel López Obrador.