Tell Me More on WRVO-1: NPR News

Newt Gingrich has surged in the polls, but will trading jabs with former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney pay off? In this week's political chat, host Michel Martin speaks with journalists Joy-Ann Reid and Mary Kate Cary about the race to win the GOP presidential nomination.

A good mentor can steer you to professional success. But according to a survey by LinkedIn, nearly 1 out of 5 women say they've never had a mentor at work. Host Michel Martin discusses the findings with Linked-In's Nicole Williams.

The clock is ticking on holiday shopping, but it's not too late to buy this year's top gadgets. Host Michel Martin gets the dish from AOL's LaToya Drake. Some of the items on her list include an interactive dancing toy robot for kids, and for adults, a device that measures the amount of deep sleep a person gets each night.

Nigerian-Ghanaian author Taiye Selasi splashed onto the literary scene with her story, 'The Sex Lives of African Girls.' As part of Tell Me More's occasional series, In Your Ear, Selasi talks about the music that inspires her, including Ladytron single, 'White Elephant,' and a cover of REM's, 'Losing My Religion' by Nina Persson.

For freshman college students, it's the end of first semester. For many first generation college kids, grades, work and money are already a struggle. In fact only 15 percent complete their degrees within 6 years. Host Michel Martin and a panel of moms and education experts discuss how parents can help their students succeed.

Host Michel Martin checks in with Michelle Rhee, the former chancellor of Washington, D.C. Public Schools. As chancellor, she made a number of controversial changes that were both applauded and denounced. A year ago, she started StudentsFirst, a group formed in response to increasing demands for a better public education system in America.

More than 2 million children currently attend charter schools, and that number is growing. But not everyone thinks the move away from public schools is best for students. Host Michel Martin speaks with one critic, Natalie Hopkinson. She's a contributing editor for The Root, and has two kids attending schools in the Washington, D.C. area.

Andy Shallal, owner of the popular Busboys & Poets restaurants in the D.C. metro area, is much more than a restaurateur. The latest Washington Post Magazine chronicles how Shallal promotes his political interests, while creating a successful business model. Host Michel Martin speaks to Shallal.

As part of Tell Me More's occasional series 'In Your Ear,' author Steve Stoute describes the music that has left a memorable mark on his mind. He talks about the songs, 'Otis' by Kanye West and Jay-Z, and 'Best Thing I Never Had' by Beyonce. Stoute is the author of 'The Tanning of America,' a book about the intersection of hip hop and big business.

A new survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation and NPR found that nearly 5 million Americans have been unemployed for a year or more, with some parts of the population harder hit than others. Host Michel Martin speaks with NPR Senior Business Editor Marilyn Geewax, unemployed bus driver Vincent Brandon, and Ellen Wright, an underemployed paralegal.

On Sunday, Ivorian voters headed to the polls. Many hoped for a peaceful election, especially after the violent fall out of last year's presidential vote. But opposition parties called for a boycott. Host Michel Martin speaks with Associated Press reporter Laura Burke in Ivory Coast's capital, Abidjan.

Today Catholics across the Americas celebrate the 'Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.' The faithful believe that on this day in 1531, an apparition of the Virgin Mary appeared in Mexico City, in the form of the Virgin of Guadalupe. Host Michel Martin discusses today's celebrations with Friar Gilberto Cavazos-Gonzalez of the Catholic Theological Union.

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus has grown and changed since its inception, and few people know that better than the chair, Rep. Charles Gonzalez, D-Texas. His late father was one of the founders of the group. He speaks with host Michel Martin about the CHC's evolution and its mission.

This week Tell Me More's 'In Limbo' series has explored four personal stories of immigrants in the middle space between legal and illegal. To better understand the complex laws that have affected their lives, host Michel Martin speaks with Mark Krikorian of the Center for Immigration Studies.

Tell Me More Editor Ammad Omar and host Michel Martin comb through listener feedback from recent segments, including immigrants' personal stories and male mentoring in light of the Penn State child sex abuse scandal. They also discuss news updates from Florida A&M University, where a suspected hazing incident has shaken the campus.

This week, the Barbershop guys discuss a series of comments by Newt Gingrich suggesting that underprivileged kids could improve their work ethic by cleaning school bathrooms. Also, after nearly 30 years and numerous appeals, Philadelphia prosecutors are no longer seeking the death penalty for convicted cop killer Mumia Abu-Jamal.

Transcript

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

I'm Michel Martin and this is TELL ME MORE from NPR News. Coming up, what happens when a young woman who's lived in the U.S. since she was three days old discovers that she is undocumented. We'll hear her story in just a few minutes. It's the latest in our series called In Limbo. It's being in limbo in immigration status. But first, we want to talk about an unemployment problem you may never have thought about.

Maria Luna's parents are U.S. residents, but she was born and abandoned in Mexico. Her grandmother brought her to the U.S. at 3 days old. As a teen, she found out she was undocumented, and could not legally work, obtain a driver's license or go to college. She speaks with host Michel Martin as part of Tell Me More's series 'In Limbo.'

Robert Champion, Jr. died after a Florida A&M University football game last month. He was part of the school's legendary marching band. Hazing is suspected in Champion's death, and his parents say the university hasn't done enough to eradicate the practice. Host Michel Martin speaks with his parents, Pamela and Robert Champion, Sr.

Rachael Yamagata's deep and sultry voice tells stories of lost love and pain. Her songs have been heard on countless films and TV shows, like 'Grey's Anatomy' and '30 Rock.' Now Yamagata is out with her latest album, 'Chesapeake.' Host Michel Martin speaks with the singer-songwriter about her approach to music.

Tell Me More's 'In Limbo' series continues with Tony and Janina Wasilewski. In 1989, Tony came to the U.S. on a work visa and Janina came in pursuit of political asylum from then-communist Poland. They got married and had a baby. In 2007, Janina was denied asylum and got deported. Host Michel Martin explores their odyssey.

As part of Tell Me More's occasional series 'In Your Ear,' freelance journalist and author Maria Bustillos shares songs that she enjoys listening to with her daughter. Bustillos wrote Act Like a Gentleman, Think Like a Woman.

On Dec. 7, 1941, Senator Daniel Inouye, D-Haw., witnessed Japan bomb the naval base at Pearl Harbor. He speaks with host Michel Martin about his memories of that day, and what motivated him to serve in the Army once the government lifted restrictions designating all Japanese Americans as 'enemy aliens.'

The long fight against injustice was symbolized by the image from the 1968 Olympics — when two African-American sprinters stood on the medal podium with their heads bowed and single fists thrust into the air. The moment turned the men into outcasts in their own country.

Protesters hope to draw attention to what they call a government that favors the wealthy over the middle class. They will be taking their message to Congress, lobbyists and other Washington power brokers. Host Michel Martin speaks with Rev. C.J. Hawking, a Methodist minister from Chicago, who is in Washington for the protests.

Host Michel Martin continues the conversation about the 'Take Back the Capitol' protests with Elisabeth Jacobs of the Brookings Institution. They discuss how progressive groups and unions are making these demonstrations different from the 'Occupy' movement.

For many workers, December means open enrollment time. To learn about the differences between an HMO and a PPO, host Michel Martin speaks with Michelle Andrews, a consumer columnist for Kaiser Health News.

In light of the child sexual abuse scandal at Penn State, host Michel Martin explores the challenges of mentoring and how that role is changing. She speaks with a diverse panel of mentors: two fathers and a young journalist.

I'd like to tell you about an email I've been carrying around for a month now. It is from a young man whom I know, a fairly recent college graduate. He was writing in response to a column I wrote a while back that argued that the discussions about who is rich and who isn't struck me as disingenuous, given just how it is that some people get to six figures these days — including a police officer married to a nurse. And I said that slicing the onion that way doesn't begin to address the kind of staggering inequality and sense of unfairness that so many people feel these days.

More than 80 countries are convening in Germany on Monday to discuss Afghanistan as international troops prepare to withdraw in 2014. Fariba Nawa has documented the devastating effects of the opium trade on Afghanistan — her home country. She speaks with host Michel Martin about the conference and her hopes and fears for Afghanistan's future.