Thought and Opinion

Today, I welcome Valerie Bradford to Thought and Opinion. She is the founding President of the Santa Clarita chapter of the NAACP and a candidate for Santa Clarita City Council. Her candidacy is historic. She is only the 2nd black women to run for City Council in Santa Clarita’s 38 yr history as a city. If she wins, she would be only the 3nd newly elected woman to the Council since 2008, and the first black City Council member in Santa Clarita’s history. 

Part 2 of Black, Gay and Modern I pose this topic because the identity markers of black and gay have always been exploited as barriers to equality and self-determination in America. Yet despite racism, classism, and homophobia black gay men are openly flourishing in ways not seen even 20 years ago. What has caused this triumph? Let's hear thriving gay black men talk about how they define themselves, navigate intersectional trauma, and what their triumph is made of. Dr Ed Rice is an accomplished educator, author, and journalist. After having taught at the elementary through postsecondary levels and holding various professorships for 20 yrs, Dr. Rice published his first children's book in 2023 called "Cosmic Granny, In a Score to Settle." Prior to Cosmic Granny, In a Score to Settle, Dr. Rice was a distinguished journalist. His work appeared in The Orange County Register, The Source and Vibe Magazines. And, he served as Contributing Editor for the Los Angeles Sentinel newspaper. 

I pose this topic because the identity markers of black and gay have always been exploited as barriers to equality and self-determination in America. Yet despite racism, classism, and homophobia black gay men are openly flourishing in ways not seen even 20 years ago. What has caused this triumph? Let's hear thriving gay black men talk about how they define themselves, navigate intersectional trauma, and what their triumph is made of. Martel Okonji is the Executive Partner and Founder of Developing Communities Together LLC. He is also a faculty member of Cal State University Northridge and serves as the leader of CSUN's Pride Center. He has served as a Commissioner with the LA County Dept of Mental Health and will soon be Dr. Okonji as he is completing his PhD in Leadership and Change, where his focus is leadership, equity, and community development. 

Israel and Genocide With Dr. Dirk MosesI present this topic because Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people in Gaza is one of the sweeping atrocities of our time and necessitates our attention. The human toll bogles the mind. As of early September 2025, estimates are that 38 percent of Gaza’s pre-Oct 7th population has been displaced. Of the more than 67,000 killed, children account for 30 percent of the dead. Within that estimated 67,000 dead is also more than 1,200 whole families who have been wiped off the face of the Earth. Gaza itself, roughly twice the size of Washington D.C. at 149 sq miles, has been largely reduced to ruble. Eight out of every 10 buildings that stood in pre-Oct 7th Gaza have either been damaged or destroyed. This is genocide. Our televisions, phones, etc have been inundated with pictures of carnage and death in Gaza for the past 2 yrs. Why is said destruction genocide and not crimes against humanity or war crimes? To give my listeners the clearest picture possible when Russia bombs a children’s hospital or a school in Ukraine, how are those attacks different in nature from what we have seen in Gaza? Genocide, the “crime of crimes”, is a legal term that carries prosecution as a means towards justice. Why has it been difficult to prosecute someone for the crime of genocide? Looking at Gaza, Sudan, Myanmar as examples. As one who has devoted themselves to understanding and preventing genocide, what does your expertise taught you about humanity? 

Has The American Evangelical Church Prostituted Itself By Supporting Donald Trump?On this episode of Thought & Opinion, Andre Hollings dives into how the church rallied behind Donald Trump despite of him having a long history of doing the very things that goes against the American Evangelical Church

Thought and Opinion is your platform for a clearer understanding of where we find ourselves in their America and how we define ourselves within it. We will go beyond the accepted discourse. To the ideas, and consequences, that we sometimes hesitate to engage. Join andre and various guests on Sundays at noon PDT as we reframe our politics and Identity in their America.