How to interpret political polls

Russia and China have formed a “no limits” partnership, bonding them on everything from manufacturing to technology to military might. And a major factor in the development of that partnership is a mutual disdain for a U.S.-led world order. This hour, we’ll talk with a former U.S. ambassador to Russia and other experts about what the budding alliance between Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping means for American global leadership.    

For Uzo Aduba, shaping an identity as a daughter of Nigerian immigrants was fuel for a creative fire. The Emmy-award winning star of “Orange is the New Black” is Heifer International’s ambassador to Africa as well as an ambassador for Stand Up to Cancer. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss growing up in a mostly white suburb, the importance of keeping her native language alive, and how her role as unofficial family historian has shaped her career. Her memoir is “The Road is Good: How a Mother’s Strength Became a Daughter’s Purpose.”

Every day it seems there’s a headline about which candidate is surging in the polls — but how accurate are those assessments? Philip Elliott, senior correspondent for Time magazine, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how the layman can look at polls and glean the most relevant information, how polls gather their data and why that margin of error is super important. His article is “How to Read Political Polls Like a Pro.”

The current vice president is making news as she runs for the top job, but past VPs have often been relegated to the sidelines. Michelle Ferrari, writer, producer and director for American Experience, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the history of the vice presidency, the 25th amendment that helped to solidify the role, and why the U.S. Constitution doesn’t offer much guidance on defining the position. Her documentary “The American Vice President” airs on PBS and streams on PBS.org.

Scientists are still trying to figure out why human ovaries have a shelf life — and how they can extend it. Celia Ford, Future Perfect Fellow at Vox, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss a new breakthrough that promises to delay menopause, what that means for healthy aging in women, and what the social implications might be if older women are still able to bear children. Her article is “We have a drug that might delay menopause — and help us live longer.”

We often think of how our diets contribute to our physical fitness, but we shouldn’t discount how they impact our brain health, too. Dr. Annie Fenn is the founder of the Brain Health Kitchen and, in partnership with the University of Texas at Dallas Center for Brain Health, she talks to host Krys Boyd about brain-friendly eating patterns, understanding how “good” and “bad” fats affect us, and offers simple recipe ideas for incorporating these foods into every meal. Her book is “The Brain Health Kitchen: Preventing Alzheimer’s Through Food."

 Democrats have traditionally relied on Latino voters, but voting patterns show many Latinos shifting to the right. Paola Ramos is a contributor for Telemundo News and MSNBC, where she is the host of “Field Report,” and she joins host Krys Boyd to discuss her examination of why Latinos voted for Trump in greater numbers in 2020 vs. 2016 and why this powerful electorate is continually misunderstood. Her book is “Defectors: The Rise of the Latino Far Right and What It Means for America.” 

The Body Neutrality movement is about focusing on more than the physical shape we hold in the world. Bethany C. Meyers is the founder and CEO of the be.come project and joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how they came to embrace the body neutrality ethos, why we need to move away from body positivity, and the calm that can come from allowing yourself to just simply be. Meyers is the author of “I Am More Than My Body: The Body Neutral Journey.” 

Apple pie is an American staple…but apples themselves are going extinct. Sarah Lohman works with institutions around the country to create public programs focused on food. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the foods we love that are in danger of disappearing and travels the country to take part in food traditions that might not be here for long unless we protect them. Her book is “Endangered Eating: America’s Vanishing Foods.”

George Washington may have set the standard for American presidents, but those precedents wouldn’t have mattered if John Adams hadn’t followed through on them. Lindsay Chervinsky, executive director of the George Washington Presidential Library, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the second U.S. president, how he solidified many of the functions of the chief executive we still know in the 21st Century, and why that meant he would sacrifice a second term. Her book is “Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents That Forged the Republic.”