WKMS presents America Amplified: Election 2020 Mondays at noon through November 16th. Hosted by award-winning journalist Rose Scott and with WABE in Atlanta, the national talk show will dive into the challenges facing America before and after election day on November 3rd. The first special presentation airs Monday, October 12th.
America Amplified: Election 2020 explores local community perspectives with a mission to foster dialogue, not debate; share experiences, and elevate diverse voices. Episodes are driven by the topics and issues raised during virtual listening sessions with people from across the country — from rural communities in the Mountain West and small towns in Pennsylvania, to coal country in West Virginia and Wyoming, as well as Atlanta, Florida, and across the Midwest.
Episode topics are also informed by reporting from America Amplified’s partner network. Below are the weekly episodic themes for America Amplified, which are subject to change.
Oct. 12 • What divides us?
Hosts: Rose Scott and John Dankosky of New England Public Media
Racism and racial injustice are among many issues dividing us this year. We also see deep divisions in how we’re experiencing and responding to the pandemic and the ongoing environmental crises from the West Coast to the gulf states. Have we reached a boiling point? Where do we go from here? And what does this division mean in the midst of this election season?
Oct. 19 • Who has access to the “American Dream” today?
Hosts: Rose Scott and Kavitha George of Alaska Public Media
For some, the quest for the American Dream is alive and fruitful. For others, it seems practically unattainable. What benefits, challenges, and inequities exist for communities when it comes to things like health care, voting access, and taxes? And how do differences affect our views of America and its future?
Oct. 26 • Do you see yourself and your community represented in national media coverage?
Hosts: Rose Scott and Tara Gatewood of Native America Calling
When it comes to election coverage, we hear a lot about the candidates and the horse race. As we barrel toward the November 3rd vote, what’s been missing from national coverage this election season? Do you feel represented? Do we have the information we need and can trust as we cast our ballots?
Nov. 2 • How are you showing up for your community?
Hosts: Rose Scott and Luis Hernandez of WLRN in Miami
With co-hosts from the battleground states of Georgia and Florida, we’ll hear how this election has affected communities across the country. Aside from voting, how are we engaging for change at a local level?
Nov. 9 • How do you feel about the country and democracy after the election?
Hosts: Rose Scott and Charity Nebbe of Iowa Public Radio
In the first post-election episode, we’ll invite guests from previous episodes to reflect on what voting meant this year and how their communities are reacting in the aftermath.
Nov. 16 • What’s next? How can we rise above, or learn to live with our divisions?
Hosts: Rose Scott and Ariana Proehl of KQED in San Francisco
As we near the end of a tumultuous 2020, is there an opening for mutual understanding despite our differences? And how can we get there, especially in the aftermath of a contentious election? This show will explore what we’ve lost and gained, what we’ve learned, and how we will move forward into 2021.
You can listen to America Amplified: Election 2020 Mondays at noon through November 16th on-air or online at WKMS.org. For more information on America Amplified, visit their website.
