I've said it before, I'm not in the "should" business.

But if you don't do anything else today, please listen to my conversation with Leslie Morgan Steiner about her new memoir, Crazy Love.

And if you have a young daughter who's just starting to date, give her the book. Or show her the excerpt on our site, or listen to the chapter she read for us.

And if you have a son. Show it to him, too.

The motto of our program is nothing is assumed. People assumed Leslie was fine because, as she puts it so well, she was blond, tall, smart, went to Harvard, her family had a vacation house in Vermont.

But she wasn't fine. Her first husband was beating her routinely and almost killed her (and, yes, she is happily remarried and doing well).

And yes, we know, men are battered, too. But it has to be said that women are more likely to be killed by domestic violence -- women of every race, every ethnicity, every religion.

Let's not get confused. Let's not keep telling ourselves these lies about how "black women put up with this," "white women have no problems we need concern ourselves with," "Asian women are different, this doesn't happen to Latinas" ... and so on.

It's happening right now to someone, somewhere, to someone who looks like you. No matter who you are. Let's try to stop this, people. Please.

Perhaps you heard about the case of the Dallas police officer who detained a man and his family in a hospital parking lot after they ran a red light while they were rushing to attend to a dying family member. The women in the family were able to get to their loved one's bedside in time; the men who stayed behind to deal with the officer did not -- even though hospital security went down to the parking lot to tell the officer what was happening.

The officer not only detained the man, who happens to be NFL player Ryan Moats (but Moats never mentioned that fact), he was nasty and obnoxious while doing it.

But don't take my word for it. We have the tape:

We find out what his superiors have to say about all that, and I'm interested to hear what you had to say about that.

And why don't we put our cards on the table. This is exactly the kind of scenario that pushes many minority people's buttons all the time. You hear about police misconduct when it involves killing someone or beating someone, but how about being needlessly cruel and insensitive?

And do you think race is a factor?

This is one of the ongoing irritants for African Americans and Latinos in this country. Here's a stat according to a 2007 Pew Poll (pdf) on racial attitudes (conducted in association with NPR):

Young people, regardless of race, have the least amount of confidence in local police. Only 16% of all blacks under the age of 30 consistently express trust in police on all three measures, compared with 26% of those blacks 65 years and older. While whites have significantly more confidence than blacks in local police, young whites are skeptical.

Continue reading "Putting the Cards On the Table" >

We thought we'd end up the week with a bang, the Gov. of New York, David Paterson. We wanted to talk to him because he is on the horns of a dilemma.

On the one hand, some of the Wall Street titans who are being handed a share of blame for the financial mess are his constituents. On the other hand, New York is feeling a very large share of pain.

How does he address both perspectives? Can he?

We ask him. Plus, he talks about changing the Rockefeller Drug Laws. New York has some of the most stringent drug laws in the country, requiring mandatory minimum sentences for many low-level, non violent drug offenses. Advocates have been trying to change the mandatory minimums for years arguing that it is too expensive and socially destructive to keep locking up so many people and that it would be far better to steer people into drug treatment. We talk about that, too.

Then to Faith Matters, where we talk about the ongoing relationship between conservative evangelicals and the White House. Concerned Women for America president Wendy Wright asked for and got a meeting with the head of the White House Office on Faith Based and Neighborhood Initiatives. We heard from her and Kevin Ecstrom, editor of Religion News Service.

And a special collaboration with theRoot.com. I am excited. We hope to have one of these collaborations about once a month, where we showcase some of their provocative reporting and commentary. I have an essay in the package, too, but you heard it before. It's adapted from a commentary I did last summer when I cut off my hair and the excessive (I think) reaction I received to same.

In case you are wondering, I grew the hair back. My daughter requested it.

She said, "Mommy, everybody in the family has hair like daddy now and nobody has hair like me!"

So what could I say? I am back to the twists. It's all good.

HAPPY FRIDAY, EVERYONE.

On today's show, we are pleased to join forces again with the daily online magazine theRoot.com. When we learned they were planning to publish a series of essays on the relationship between black women and their hair, through the prism of the current economic downturn, we had to get in the mix. So, this week we sidelined the guys in the Barbershop for the ladies of the Beauty Shop. Since Barbershop regular Jimi Izrael has more hair than many women, Michel invited him to join the conversation. Tune in for a "hair raising" exchange. Sorry, I could not help myself.

I did not have the opportunity to post an essay, but since I've been thinking about this a lot I'd thought I'd share ...

Most of the time, I wear my hair in a short natural, but I've been known to mix it up -- from twists, to braids, to wigs. My wigs even have names, since they are often styled after celebrity hairstyles. Michel's favorite is what she refers to as my "Mary J" - a short asymmetrical cut with some urban edge.

But I digress.

Since the recent "troubles" I have put a complete stop to my salon visits. Suddenly, the thought of spending close to $300 to get my hair braided seems ridiculous, and I have had to literally go back to my roots. I am trying to love the skin I'm in and enjoy rocking my 'fro -- but there is a part of me that feels denied.

For so many women, our hair is our crown -- it signals so much more than style. It's a harbinger of possibility, but right now, all that seems possible is that the world will learn that I have a Miss Clairol secret (since my roots are growing out).

Once I get over myself and stop the pity party, I will see that it really is not the end of the world and there are far more important sacrifices that are being made by many. Until then, I confess that whenever I run into the drugstore I head straight to the magazine aisle and thumb through the latest issue of Hype Hair.

A woman can still dream.

You may have noticed some disruption in the show's first segment this morning. We just want to mention that one of the guests received some difficult news while he was in the middle of the interview. We've checked on him, he is fine. But you need to know that this happens. And while we feel awful for keeping a guest on the air while something is causing him or her personal concern, we really had no way of knowing. That's one reason we try to have guests in the studio with me, or in a studio somewhere if possible. There is no way to communicate with a guest who is calling in from a home phone. And we have to ask people to turn off their blackberries because the signals are picked up by the microphones (trust me on this). It's a dilemma

It was a sad but invigorating morning. We learned late yesterday afternoon that John Hope Franklin had died. The preeminent historian was 94 years old. We were able to find two preeminent scholars to offer their reflections. And we'd like to hear yours. Do you remember when you first encountered his work? And what it meant to you? We'd like YOU to tell US more.

And finally, if you are annoyed on principle by people who quote their kids then stop reading now (and it's okay; everybody has their pet peeve; I don't judge), but I want to report an interesting conversation I had with my kids last night, who are five years old. My son had just broken one of my favorite plates. I was quite annoyed. It's not just any plate. It was given to me as a gift for my service on a board; and for a whole host of reasons I won't go into, it means a lot to me. We had it hanging as a wall decoration in the kitchen, pretty high up, and my son climbed on a chair (which he should not have been doing) and knocked it off the wall. I was across the room and couldn't stop him in time. And I was not pleased. As I was cleaning up, I told him I was very upset with him. He started crying, but I was still too annoyed to be truly sympathetic. And for some reason my daughter asked me how I would feel if I lost my job. I said, "Bad." And then she said, "If you lost your job, would you still be mad about the plate?"

Huh? What?

I guess not.

Kind of puts things in perspective, doesn't it?

I am running because we have a full schedule of interviews coming up and I have to prepare.

Are you interested in any comments about the President's press conference last night? What are your reactions? What you would like to have heard more about?

Did you find the President's remarks persuasive, credible, interesting?

And, I am interested in the media angle. How did you think our colleagues handled themselves with the questioning?

Please don't for get our book series for the summer. We're looking for suggestions. How shall we organize it, and with what themes? What genre? What part of the world?

We tend to be more open to fiction in the summer (mainly because we believe that people have more time on their hands and also, it has to be said, because we largely ignore it the rest of the year), but we are open to any suggestions. Well just about any.

Cheers ...

Oakland Police officers listen to a press conference announcing the shooting deaths of three fellow officers March 21, 2009. Getty Images

Lee Hill, here ...

Unfortunately, today our attention was directed once again at Oakland, as part of our ongoing look at cities in crisis.

Last weekend was brutal for the city across the Bay from San Francisco. Four policemen -- Sgt. Mark Dunakin, 40, Officer John Hege, 41, Sgt. Ervin Romans, 43, and Sgt. Daniel Sakai, 35 -- were gunned down on Saturday, allegedly at the hands of 26-year-old parolee Lovelle Mixon. Authorities in the area say the ordeal, which spanned across two crime scenes, began as a routine traffic stop. (Mixon was later killed in the incident by police officers).

As you might recall, earlier this year we reported on another fatal incident involving Oakland law enforcement. Oscar Grant, 22, was shot and killed on New Years Day, allegedly by Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) police officer Johannes Mehserle, 27. (Mersherle has since resigned from his post and is now charged with murder.) The incident touched off racial tensions in the city, which eventually lead to rioting -- Mersherle is white, Grant was black.

But although there is at least one apparent similarity between the two Oakland cases -- civilians Grant and Mixon were both African-American -- the differences seem far more distinct. In the recent incident, the officers are mourned as victims. In the Grant case, a "man of the shield" is allegedly a perpetrator.

Also, Grant was unarmed in the January shooting, while Mixon was reportedly toting serious weaponry.

For whatever reason, it seems lightning chose to strike twice (and hard) in the same place, for reasons we'll probably never know.

... But maybe it's what we do know about Oakland that deserves a closer look; a backdrop, if you will, to the city's "headline" troubles. For example:

- Oakland faces at least a $50 million budget deficit, which could increase

- 90 percent of city homicides in 2007 were caused by gun violence

- The unemployment rate in Oakland is 14.7 percent. (In February, 8.1 was the national average.)

I'm curious to know about the relationship, if any, between such city crises and "the (bigger) crisis."

Tomorrow, we take a look at another beleaguered city: Detroit.

As always, please don't hesitate to tell us how you're processing events where you live ...

Our deepest condolences to those who tragically lost loved ones to recent violence in Oakland, or anywhere.

Let me say, we realized we started the week off on what might be, for some, a very depressing note -- two different stories about the deaths of two young people. We apologize if this is more than some of you could take, but the timing was such that we felt both pieces needed to air today.

Our condolences to both families, and we hope that sharing your stories helps others to heal, and you as well.

The wealth gap story fascinates me because it offers a very real and concrete explanation for so many of the "deep stem" issues in American life. It's not quite a T.O.E. (theory of everything) but it is substantial.

Here's the executive summary (pdf) for the conference we talked about.

And now, books. I'll bring this up again to remind you, but we are starting to get a lot of book submissions for the summer, all kinds of novels, along with the usual self-help and political books. As you may have noticed, we don't spend a great deal of time talking about fiction, a part from our occasional visits with our "book lady," Loriene Roy of the American Library Association. But summer is coming and, for many people, that means more time to read. And, frankly, even if your finances mean you'll be partaking of a "staycation" this year instead of lounging in Provence (or the Jersey Shore), a good book is probably going to be part of your plans.

TMM Summer Reading Series

We'd like your help in organizing our summer reading series. My preference is to stick to a genre or a theme. The question is, what theme?

I was thinking, new fiction out of Africa? What about new fiction from South Asian women writers? What about new books about Politics (we could start with Gwen Ifill's new book Breakthrough: politics in the age of Obama)? What about novels set in the middle east? What about new and classic novels set in the Middle East?

You get the idea.

We're not trying to get you to do our work for us, but I love to hear from you.

What books should we dig into this summer? Let us know and if we pick your idea we'll find a way to include you in our conversations.

On we go ...

TMM Executive Producer Marie Nelson, left, Host Michel Martin, Barbershop guest and Duke University Prof. Mark Anthony Neal and TMM Producer Argin Hutchins share a moment at public radio station WNCU-FM in Durham, NC. Kimberly Pierce-Cartwright, WNCU

 

Marie Nelson, here. I'm the Executive Producer for "Tell Me More"

Today, we are broadcasting from the mighty WNCU-FM, on the campus of North Carolina Central University in Durham.

Michel is getting ready to go on the air and then she heads across town to Duke University, where she will participate in the panel discussion "Press, Politics and Policy making in the Obama Era." So, I am stepping in to write today's posting.

This is a homecoming for me. I am a proud graduate of Duke, and I called Durham home for a few years after graduation. As I headed down I-85 South into town, I was gripped by a sense of nostalgia, passing by all of my old haunts. In my case, this translates into all of the all-night diners that I frequented to get my fill of biscuits and grits. (What can I say, it was the 80s and we were still eating carbs then.)

There is no better month to be in North Carolina than March --- to celebrate the madness that is NC basketball. Did I mention that I was here in Duke's hey day? Each year that I was on campus, we were in the Final Four and we won the NCAA championship back-to-back during my last two years.

Alright, before you begin throwing stones at me, I'll turn my attention to other matters of interest. ...

As a former field producer, it is always a pleasure getting the show out of the studio and on the road. It gives you an opportunity to touch stories and communities more directly, and to meet the people behind the voices.

Today, we focus on the economic challenges faced by North Carolina with two local journalists -- Jim Morrill, of The Charlotte Observer, and Glenn Burkins, of the African American-centered online news source Qcitymetro. With the state facing high levels of unemployment, a proposed budget that involves significant cuts in spending, and looming concerns about available support in the President's stimulus package -- there is a lot to talk about.

Michel also talks with a group of scholars, who are participants in the Duke conference on race in America. And, we convene a special North Carolina edition of the Barbershop.

Of course, we would not be allowed to leave the state without talking basketball. So, we checked in with Joanne P. McCallie, head coach of the Duke Women's Basketball team about their trip to the tournament.

Farewell To True Pioneers

Before we run off to make radio magic, we'd like to recognize the team that produces NPR's News & Notes. Today marks their final broadcast, and we want to thank them for paving the way for us. They were pioneers, working to diversify public radio's airwaves, and we know that without them there would be no us.

For many of us journalists of color and those who focus on covering diverse communities, who know what it means to be the only one, the loss of a program like News & Notes will be deeply felt.

To our colleagues, we say thank you for the strength of your reporting, the powerful stories you brought to life and the passion that made you a force to be reckoned with.

Until we meet again.

Lee Hill, here ...

In case you missed it:

And you can listen to our exclusive performance chat with Corneille here.

Also, we're taking the show on the road. Tomorrow, tune in as we Tell Me More from Raleigh-Durham, NC.

Lee Hill, here ...

I guess you can say we're exploring our music sensibilities.

Today, our interview with the "Queen of Soul" Aretha Franklin brought music and fun to our ears. If you haven't already had a listen to her interview with Michel, check it out here.

I have to say, I was left scratching my head a bit about this notion that Franklin's performance on Inauguration Day was so bad that it required a retake.

Really?

It makes me think of a wordsmith being accused of "making up" a word. I've always wondered, is that possible? One might argue that, for a true master wordsmith (which I so am not), a word spoken from his or her lips legitimized by default.

Could the late Liberace really hit a "bad note" on the piano? ... Can Vera Wang design a "bad dress"? Or, can Michael Jackson dance a "bad move" (okay, well, he may be a little rusty now and in need of some oil ... but I seriously the "King of Pop" could ever really 'lose it' -- rhythmically speaking, that is).

Anyway, you get my point. But I guess the larger point really is, what the queen wants, the queen gets. Perfection is in the eye, or ear, of ... the artist.

And more soul for your musical pallet, up and coming R&B crooner Corneille is in the house tomorrow. And this one, you definitely won't want to miss. He belts out songs from the heart, marked with a texture of soul no amount of money or professional training can buy -- more like organic vs. "produced." I can tell you his lyrical expression is anchored by extraordinary circumstances.

Sounds deep? Wait until you hear this guy ... and watch the TMM exclusive video.

Meet you back here tomorrow ...

The fountain in front of the White House flows with green water, Tuesday, March 17, 2009, in honor of St. Patrick's Day.AP

Happy St. Pat's (or as my friend Will calls it, amateur drinker's day).

We were trying to figure out a way to acknowledge the day. I wanted to do a piece exploring Obama's Irish roots, but everybody else shouted me down. They were all, "so what?! ... don''t you realize we have a recession going on here?" So I received no love.

I then tried to find something multicultural and spicy, like a Latin band that plays Irish folk music, or an African band that plays Irish folk, or an Irish ban that plays African music, or something like that.

Again, no love from my people here.

What can I say? You'd think I'd have some say around here, and I do, but it's not a dictatorship. ... And it's not like they just come out and say no.

They just kind of star at me ... like I'm a patient.

One DAY I will be QUEEN!

But you know what? We did have THE QUEEN (of soul) in the house. And, yes, you can hear more from Aretha Franklin tomorrow.

What We Did Do

I think the most useful thing I can do here is give you some more information about the programs we told you about, so you can think about it and absorb the information yourselves, and decide what you think about it. So here it is:

Read White House talking points (pdf) regarding the president's mortgage/foreclosure proposal.

And here's more information about the Nurse-Family Partnership discussed in today's parenting segment.

Just for grins, read the actual transcript of the president's speech yesterday, where he bawled out the AIG executives. And here's his speech to the Joint Session of Congress where he mentioned a number of these ideas, including his idea for home visits to support new, low income mothers.

Cheers. Hoist a green something for me ...

Gracias, Michel.

Last Thursday, we previewed elections in Antigua and El Salvador. Well, the results are in.

Left-wing candidate and former journalist Mauricio Funes won the presidency of El Salvador in yesterday's election. He defeated his right-wing opponent, Rodrigo Avila, who is a former deputy director of the national police.

Victory followed some dirty campaign ads that featured doctored photographs and a doughnut-eating cop from The Simpsons.

The election is a culmination of a political struggle between the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN), a former guerrilla movement turned leftist political party, and the Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA), which has held the presidency since 1989. ARENA first came to power in the midst of El Salvador's civil war, which lasted a dozen years until 1992.

Avila, as ARENA's candidate, was very much in the party mold. Funes, on the other hand, represents an attempt to reach beyond the FMLN's revolutionary origins. He is a longtime broadcast journalist known for his independence in a country and a region where journalism is traditionally a partisan affair.

In Antigua, the ruling United Progressive Party saw its parliamentary majority shrink but remained in power with Baldwin Spencer as prime minister. The election was overshadowed by fallout from the collapse of Allen Stanford's financial empire. Stanford stands accused of running an $8 billion Ponzi scheme from a bank he owned on the island. Stanford was the largest investor and employer in Antigua.

Our Planning Editor Luis Clemens has some news about elections in Antigua and El Salvador that we reported on last week, so I'm going to step off and let him take over in a moment.

I want to point out that the loyal opposition conversations we had today -- focusing on both liberal and conservative perspectives -- were very interesting for us, in and of themselves. But, we wanted to recommend that, if you have time, you consider listening to them back-to-back, as we did. We think you'll find them both more interesting that way. And the contrast makes it even more crunchy.

Also, I want to share more information about teen dating violence as a follow-up to the personal stories heard on today's program. We're not making it up. Check out the stats by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), which tracks epidemics.

Luis, tell the people what you know ...

Lee Hill, here ...

We're wrapping things up on this end. Here's a look ahead to Monday. As always, you can expect to hear more on ...

The loyal opposition - We'll revisit our ongoing conversation with thinkers who are pretty strong critics of their own political party. On Monday, our plan is to check in once again with liberals who take issue with President Obama's agenda on issues such as education, healthcare and the economy.

Women in leadership - Hear about a group that embraces as its mission an aggressive game plan to get more women seated in key positions of political power.

Teens and domestic abuse - R&B icon Chris Brown, 19, is charged with two felonies after he allegedly battered his girlfriend, popular songstress Rihanna, 21. We'll talk to a group of young people who say they've been in similar situations. You'll also hear from a dad who lost his daughter to domestic violence.

Meet us back here on Monday.

Enjoy the weekend!

Luis Clemens, here. I'm the Planning Editor for TMM.

Earlier this month, at Tell Me More, we spoke to Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard about the impact the war is having in his state. During the interview, he said the following:

We're very optimistic that this new administration is going to bring a new spirit, a new intensity to some of the problems we have here on the border. And by that, I don't just mean raising fences and digging in. I mean being more intelligent about curbing the drug trade, the weapons trade.

Well, yesterday, President Obama opened the door to upping the ante along the U.S-Mexico border. He said:

We're going to examine whether and if National Guard deployments would make sense, and under what circumstances they would make sense.

That doesn't sound definitive but it is of great interest that the Obama Administration is willing to consider the option.

On tomorrow's show, we will hear from California Democratic Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez and Beto O'Rourke, a member of El Paso's city council. The Congresswoman chairs a Homeland Security subcommittee. O'Rourke represents El Paso's District 8, which is literally on the border with Ciudad Juarez.

Should be interesting to hear what they say about the possibility of troops on the border.

Luis

Today's dilemma: how much MORE should we talk about the economy at a time like this? If you figure the mission of the program is to go beyond the headlines, what's the justification for following a story that is dominating the headlines? We decided that our regular contributor on matters of the economy and personal finance, Alvin Hall, makes things so easy to understand that it was worth it to get his take on the big economic story of the week: the World Bank report that warns of a world-wide economic slowdown. You can look at the whole report here if you like. We paired Alvin with Washington Post reporter Steve Mufson who follows the World Bank.

And, we also wanted to follow the story of Lisa Pagan. She is the Army reservist who brought her kids with her when she was ordered to return to active duty after four years. Her commitment was almost up, but not quite. She said she had no way to take care of her kids, and her husband's job was not offering him any flexibility. We were able to pull together a group of Navy moms to give their take on managing active duty and family. Eye opening ... I think you'll agree.

And if you're an E. Lynn Harris fan, why, a treat is in store. His new novel, which is out now, dips into the world of high profile athletes on the down low. Harris is a very prominent, visible, black, gay man. And he has done in 11 novels as much as anyone to explain and explore what the "down low" is. One thing it is NOT is an exclusively black phenomenon. (Remember Congressman Bob Bauman, a conservative white lawmaker from Maryland who was married with four kids and had a secret life as a gay man? He later came out of the closet and left Congress.) But Harris explores what he believes are the special challenges and pressures of living that life as a black man in his many novels. If you are not familiar with his work -- and they are not everyone's cup of tea -- it is still interesting to hear how he navigates issues of race, class, orientation and identity in his work.

Cheers.

Well, I am back. Thanks to NPR's Cheryl Corley and Korva Coleman for holding down the fort.

I'm not going to lie to you, I still feel kind of sick-ish (and I know that's not a word). But after a certain point, when you've swallowed all the pills they've given you, and after the cough syrup starts to make you feel worse than coughing, it's time to head back in. Whatever.

I was excited about today's program, in part because, to be honest, it addressed questions I have been thinking about. (That's not why we did the show. I was out last week, so the staff carried the bookings without me.)

I have often wondered, why do so many research studies go forward without ethnically diverse subjects? Is it because ethnic variations are not deemed relevant, or that different groups are less likely to volunteer? Is it that they are unconnected to research outreach?

We tell you about a pioneering breast cancer study that aims to answer important questions for the whole population, and about how they went about finding diverse subjects.

And we talk about the challenge of taking care of your senior-aged loved ones when the economy is in turmoil. It's something my siblings and I have also been worrying about, to tell you the truth.

And, yes, I had to throw in my two cents on the Michael Steele-Rush Limbaugh dust up. Let me know if you think I am on to something.

Now, I think I'll go find some more chicken soup. Oh, and I tried that home remedy somebody sent me for my cough -- lemon juice, honey and a dash of cayenne pepper. That was too hardcore for me, so I had to throw in some hot water ... but, it was awesome.

I don't know if it helped, but it sure felt good going down. Thanks!

Lee Hill, here ...

I think I speak for all of us here when I say we're glad to put this week to rest ... And I mean that in a good way, of course. Let's just say there was a lot of heavy lifting at work to find the right voices and add new textures -- and, quite simply, more -- to stories shaping the way people live in many different parts of the world (be sure to check out this week's Wednesday and Thursday editions).

We think we succeeded. ... I know we tried.

Before taking off, a few updates to recent Tell Me More stories:

Gandhi's Things
Last week, we reported on plans to sell items once-belonging to Mahatma Gandhi. We told how news of the auction sparked controversy among many Indians who were quick to point out that Gandhi advocated against capitalism and materialism.

Update: Yesterday, while bidding was taking place, the current owner of the items, James Otis, announced he was calling off the auction.

Oakland Shooting
Also, last month we reported on the case out of Oakland involving Oscar Grant, an unarmed black man, who was allegedly shot and killed by a white police officer. The shooting ignited racial tensions in the area. The officer later resigned from his post and has since been charged with murder.

Update: The family of Oscar Grant has filed a $50 million wrongful death lawsuit against officers allegedly involved.

R&B Stars Chris Brown and Rihanna
Both on the program and here on the blog, we've been following news about Chris Brown, 19, and his girlfriend, R&B singer Rihanna, 21. Brown was arrested last month because he allegedly assaulted Rihanna in Los Angeles during an argument that unraveled just hours before the Grammy Awards.

Update: Yesterday, Brown was charged with two felonies in connection with the incident: assault and making criminal threats. We still have our eye on this, and the larger theme of domestic violence, particularly among younger couples. Stay tuned for more conversations.

And special thanks to NPR's Cheryl Corley from the staff here for being a great TMM captain this week, and for taking the show and seasoning it with her own spice. And to Korva Coleman, who guided us through the latter part of last week. It's a big perk to rub shoulders with such pros.

Speaking of pros, Michel Martin is back next week ... I know, we missed her, too!

Enjoy the weekend.

Shirley Ann Jackson, Ph.D., is the first woman and first African American to serve as President of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Hi. Cheryl Corley, here ... sitting in for Michel.

Ever watch the TV show "Jeopardy"? It's one of my favorites, and a recent show I watched was a clear indication of why we still need to set aside months to celebrate the history of African-Americans and women -- until, of course, that history is fully incorporated in school lessons.

... Okay, I'm not going to go there. I'll just say we profiled two fascinating women on Tell Me More today.

One woman made her mark during the last century, and another continues to make history today.

Ida B. Wells-Barnett was a crusading journalist who ran an anti-lynching campaign and helped co-found the NAACP. Shirley Ann Jackson, a physicist, is now the President of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Jackson is the first woman and the first African-American woman to hold that post. She's also been a trailblazer in the world of science, and she has definite ideas about how to tackle what she calls a "quiet crisis" in science -- a dearth of young people studying engineering and science as current scientists and engineers retire.

Crisis, or at least trying to get through it, was a thread that ran throughout the program today. Hence, our conversation about New Orleans. After three and a half years, that city is still trying to recover from the wrath of Hurricane Katrina. We checked in with one of our New Orleans regulars, Gralen Banks, and also with his Congressman, Rep. Anh "Joseph" Cao, the country's first Vietnamese-American Member of Congress. Cao is a Republican but represents a mostly Democratic district. Many residents have criticized him because he voted against the Obama stimulus package, but Cao isn't backing down. He says it wasn't about politics, but serving the best interest of his district (Louisiana's 2nd Congressional District).

He knows he has some convincing to do at home.

Meanwhile, leaders in California's farming community say they're trying to work through the "perfect economic bomb." The ongoing drought has brought an unemployment rate of nearly 40 percent in some areas, according to local officials. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has also declared a state of emergency in the wake of the water crisis, asking residents to cut back on water, which has made it even more difficult for farmers.

Tomorrow, the Obama administration grapples with another pressing problem by holding a day long summit on health care. We checked in with former Surgeon General David Satcher to get his take on the Obama administration's proposed health care reforms.

We'll talk more tomorrow.

-- Cheryl Corley

Hi. Cheryl Corley, here ... sitting in for Michel.

First a request. This month is women's history month and we profiled the words of a few women who've been on Tell Me More in the past: actress Rita Moreno, Liberia President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Wilma Mankiller, the first female chief of the Cherokee Nation.

Let us know who you'd like to hear from this month.

We had a rollicking conversation with some of the women we've come to depend on for their savvy advice. Our "moms" showed up to talk about how to motivate kids to stay in school. The dropout rate for high schoolers, particularly in many communities of color, is startling -- by some accounts, 10 percent for African-Americans, and more than 20 percent for Latinos. Our moms offered tough love, as well of words of encouragement. And of course, we talked about money, how can you not when it comes to kids and motivation? But should money be used to encourage children when it comes to school? Our moms had their say.

The financial state of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (or HBCUs) continues to look grim. That's what we learned during an update on the financial health of HBCUs. Spelman College President Dr. Beverly Tatum has had to cut staff and restructure programs to make ends meet. University of Pennsylvania Professor Marybeth Gasman, who tracks HCBUs, says the tough situation for Spelman, a reknowned women's college, is even more dire for other universities -- in light of lower enrollment, falling endowment revenue and donor gifts.

Money Coach Alvin Hall also joined us to talk about the cost of health care and what we might expect from the reforms being offered by the Obama Administration.

Plus, the latest on the push for residents of Washington DC to have a voting representative in the U.S. House. Maybe some day, DC residents will be able to change the motto on their license plates from "taxation without representation" Our guests suggest that might be a battle though that may be played out in the Supreme Court.

All for now,
Cheryl

Hi. Cheryl Corley, here ... sitting in for Michel.

Ever think about what your childhood would have been like if you had to spend a good deal of it as a caregiver? That's what about 5 million children in this country must do each day although its not something we talk about much. That was the discussion on our Behind Closed Doors segment. We spoke with Patricia Lawson, a mother who suffers from multiple sclerosis, her 12 year old son Davon and Connie Siskowski, who runs a Florida based support organization for family caregivers.

It's snowy in Washington, D.C., today. And at this time of year, you'd think the talk about Mexico would be all about vacations and warm sun. But instead its much more grim news dominated by the violence of the country's ongoing drug wars between the government and drug cartels. It has plenty of people living in the border states worried and Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard joined us to talk about the steps he's taken - some of them controversial - to deal with the spillover from the drug war and about the state's efforts to curtail human smuggling.

Also on the show today ... An audio post card from Haiti. A discussion about the life of a foreclosure prevention counselor. And a Top Chef fan favorite. Carla Hall Lyons, runs a catering business in the Washington, D.C., suburbs. What's her favorite food? Peas. Check out one of her recipes.

Talk to you tomorrow.

- Cheryl