Hmong leaders in Wisconsin are lobbying state legislators to recognize their cultural weddings as legal marriages. Our guest joins us to explain the current grey area and traditional gender roles in Hmong culture. We also look at how New Orleans has recovered from Hurricane Katrina over the past 10 years, and learn methods for all-natural cheese making.
Featured in this Show
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10 Years After Hurricane Katrina
Ten years ago this morning, former Mayor of New Orleans Ray Nagin ordered the first ever mandatory evacuation of his city. By the next day, 80 percent of New Orleans would be underwater. All told, at least 1,245 people lost their lives in what became one of the deadliest hurricanes and the single costliest natural disaster in American history.
In the aftermath of the storm, the National Guard rescued people from roof tops, while national news outlets showed storm survivors waiting in the heat, amid filth and without necessities like medication at the Superdome and Convention Center.
The government’s response was criticized for lacking leadership and coordination, with many saying that race and class played a role in the slow reaction. The head of FEMA, Michael Brown, resigned within weeks and today former Mayor Ray Nagin is serving a 10 year sentence for corruption in federal prison. But New Orleans has rebuilt since then.
Guest Gary Rivlin was a New York Times reporter at the time and spent most of the year following the storm in New Orleans and Baton Rouge tracking the recovery. As the country marks the tenth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, his new book is called “Katrina: After the Flood.”
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New Legislation Would Legalize Hmong Cultural Weddings
New legislation would give authority to Hmong marriage negotiators, or mejkoob, to legally certify weddings in Wisconsin. The executive director of the Eau Claire Area Hmong Mutual Assistance Association talks about the proposal, and some of the issues it raises about gender roles in the Hmong community.
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Food Friday: The Art Of Natural Cheesemaking
On this Food Friday, we talk about one of Wisconsin’s favorite food products: cheese. An organic farmer and cheesemaker discusses his favorite cheeses to make at home.
Episode Credits
- Rob Ferrett Host
- Galen Druke Producer
- Chris Malina Producer
- Amanda Magnus Producer
- Gary Rivlin Guest
- Pa Thao Guest
- David Asher Guest
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