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
8 snips
Mar 28, 2026 • 29min
Being an “ally” is kind of cringe. Why?
Milly Tamarez, comedian and writer who created the viral White Forgiveness Project, and Hari Kondabolu, comedian-filmmaker known for The Problem with Apu, debate what allyship looks like today. They riff on performative gestures versus sustained action. They share stories about viral reckonings, public apologies, crediting community voices, and the emotional costs of visibility.
Mar 25, 2026 • 35min
Markwayne Mullin is conservative, Christian, Cherokee, and the new head of DHS
Graham Lee Brewer, AP reporter covering Indian country and tribal politics, breaks down what Markwayne Mullin's DHS leadership could mean for Native communities and the nation. He discusses Mullin's ties to the president, his Cherokee identity, how tribal traditions shape expectations, and whether Mullin will act as a bipartisan deal-maker or a hardline enforcer.
25 snips
Mar 21, 2026 • 16min
What Trump's language has in common with cult language
Amanda Montell, author of Cultish and co-host of Sounds Like a Cult, breaks down how persuasive phrasing builds followings. She traces repeated buzzwords, chantable slogans, and thought-terminating clichés. She links romanticized pasts and performative speech to cultlike dynamics. She also points to red flags and how to resist compulsive, ritualized thinking.
Mar 18, 2026 • 35min
The Scouts are too woke, according to Pete Hegseth
Benjamin Rene Jordan, historian and author of Modern Manhood and the Boy Scouts of America, discusses Scouting's surprising progressive roots. He traces its rise in early 20th-century America, explains how it promoted inclusion and resisted militarization, and unpacks why it became a political target in recent debates.
Mar 14, 2026 • 26min
The Black civil rights leader who sued to be called “Miss”
A 1963 courtroom standoff where a Black woman demanded to be called 'Miss' and took her fight all the way to the Supreme Court. Stories of Freedom Rides, nonviolent training, and brutal jail treatment bring the era to life. The episode spotlights how honorifics became a symbolic battleground and the links between civil rights actions and early feminist ideas.
13 snips
Mar 11, 2026 • 35min
What the success of "Sinners" does (and doesn't) say about race and Hollywood
Angelica Jade Bastién, NY Mag film critic, and Aisha Harris, NPR pop culture commentator, break down Sinners' hype and limits. They debate its juke joint scene, Coogler’s maximalism versus subtlety, religion and the Black Southern reckoning. They also question whether awards will reshape Hollywood or simply reward spectacle.
5 snips
Mar 7, 2026 • 13min
Why Iranian perspectives often get flattened and caricatured
Sina Toossi, an Iranian American foreign policy expert and senior fellow who studies U.S.-Iran relations, sketches the many and conflicting perspectives inside Iran. He recounts reactions to strikes, the terror of communication blackouts, and a powerful third current: pro-democracy Iranians who oppose foreign military intervention. The conversation highlights how outside narratives simplify a complex society.
12 snips
Mar 4, 2026 • 31min
How the internet got gentrified
Jessa Lingel, a scholar of digital culture and author of The Gentrification of the Internet, joins to map how online spaces have been reshaped. She traces platform rules and scaling pressures, industry homogeneity, and infrastructure consolidation. The conversation covers surveillance tech, community safety, and whether regulation can protect online neighborhoods.
Feb 28, 2026 • 20min
Remembering Jesse Jackson
Adam Serwer, Atlantic writer and race-and-politics commentator, offers a vivid look at Jesse Jackson's life. He critiques media caricatures and contrasts national mockery with local reverence. He traces Jackson's role in Black political power, coalition-building, and the defining 1988 convention speech. The conversation closes on Jackson's call for unity and conscience.
10 snips
Feb 25, 2026 • 48min
The Young Lords' legacy of fighting for Puerto Rico from the mainland
Iris Morales, Puerto Rican activist, filmmaker and educator who led Young Lords education efforts. She recalls archival moments, the group's evolution from gangs to political organizing, bilingual organizing and the Palante newspaper. She reflects on diaspora identity, direct-action campaigns like sanitation protests, tensions over island ties, and the movement's lasting cultural and political legacy.
