Code Switch
NPR
What's CODE SWITCH? It's the fearless conversations about race that you've been waiting for. Hosted by journalists of color, our podcast tackles the subject of race with empathy and humor. We explore how race affects every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, food and everything in between. This podcast makes all of us part of the conversation — because we're all part of the story. Code Switch was named Apple Podcasts' first-ever Show of the Year in 2020.Want to level up your Code Switch game? Try Code Switch Plus. Your subscription supports the show and unlocks a sponsor-free feed. Learn more at plus.npr.org/codeswitch
Episodes
Mentioned books
May 13, 2026 • 27min
What the Savannah Bananas have to do with race and baseball
Josh Levin, journalist who researched the Indianapolis Clowns and Negro League history. He explains the Savannah Bananas’ TikTok-ready circus style and massive popularity. He traces the Clowns’ roots in minstrel traditions and why reviving that team sparks controversy. Short, sharp conversations about history, performance, and how entertainment and race collide in baseball.
8 snips
May 9, 2026 • 22min
How the Supreme Court gutted Black voting power
Hansi Lo Wang, NPR correspondent who covers voting rights and election law, breaks down the Supreme Court decision that reshapes redistricting. He explains the new intent requirement for challenges, the risks to majority-Black districts, and who may be blocked from enforcing voting-rights protections. Short, clear takes on the legal shifts that could shrink Black political representation.
8 snips
May 6, 2026 • 33min
The minefields of parenting and race
Parents wrestle with tough choices about schools, neighborhoods and safety when race is a factor. Listeners' dilemmas about children’s fears, gender expression and cultural norms are explored. Conversations cover maintaining home languages, what functional bilingualism looks like, and how norms around Black masculinity shape parenting decisions.
21 snips
May 2, 2026 • 39min
Tradwives and the pressures of modern motherhood
A dive into why momfluencers fill gaps left by weak parental support systems. Exploration of the tradwife trend, its aesthetics, and why it promises clarity and purpose. Discussion of who can actually adopt that lifestyle and how race and class shape those limits. Examination of how maternal imagery can be leveraged into political influence and exclusionary rhetoric.
Apr 29, 2026 • 35min
Are Black men facing a mental health crisis, a patriarchy crisis, or both?
Mark Anthony Neal, a scholar of Black masculinity and fatherhood, joins to unpack rising lethal incidents involving Black men. He probes how patriarchy, misogyny, and mental health intersect. Short takes cover media framing, community silence, accountability, and visions of a more caring, emotionally available model of Black manhood.
Apr 25, 2026 • 28min
In college admission, trauma is shorthand for Blackness
Aya Waller-Bey, a sociologist and former Georgetown admissions officer, studies how racial trauma is framed in college applications. She discusses patterns of Black applicants writing about hardship. She explains why families and schools push pain as proof of race. She explores how admissions read these stories and the wider consequences for identity and institutional practices.
8 snips
Apr 22, 2026 • 35min
Hate it or love it, is DEI a distraction?
Jennifer C. Pan, author and scholar of race, labor, and corporate power, critiques corporate DEI work. She explains why common DEI programs often fail and how corporations use them as reputational cover. She contrasts DEI with policies that actually help workers, discusses unions and ESG, and explores how focusing on race can obscure class and economic power.
17 snips
Apr 18, 2026 • 29min
Is the U.S. 'empire' beginning to show cracks?
Daniel Immerwahr, historian and author of How to Hide an Empire, explores hidden U.S. colonization and territorial reach. He talks about why Americans deny being imperial, how U.S. bases reshape local economies and law, and whether recent policies are weakening or reshaping American hegemony. The conversation maps history onto current global shifts.
Apr 15, 2026 • 36min
Gaza commanded our attention. Why hasn't Sudan?
They compare why some wars grab U.S. attention while others fade. They unpack Sudan’s 2023 civil war, reporting risks, and the rise of militias from Darfur to today. Experts examine racism, politics, and past activism’s limits. The conversation centers on what different kinds of attention actually accomplish for civilians.
8 snips
Apr 11, 2026 • 31min
How your vote became your identity
Lilliana Mason, political scientist and author who studies political identity, explains how party affiliation became a mega-identity. She describes how party labels shape views on race, religion, and policy. The conversation covers partisan sorting, racial spillover after Obama's presidency, rising anti-Muslim rhetoric, and how younger generations relate to party identity.
