The long road back to voting restoration in the Gulf South

Sitting down with the Southern Music Research Center

On this week’s episode, community engagement producer Nellie Beckett talks with Burgin Mathews, director of the Southern Research Music Center, about the culture and history of music in the Gulf South. The Southern Music Research Center [https://www.southernmusicresearch.org/] is a public online archive of rescued recordings, rare photos and flyers, oral history interviews, and other artifacts from a deep diversity of musical genres and eras. Founded by Birmingham English teacher and scholar Burgin Mathews, the nonprofit catalogs the musical expressions, traditions and histories of the American South. Nellie speaks to Burgin about the work of archiving Southern music culture and bringing it to life every week on his show, The Lost Child [https://www.wbhm.org/show/the-lost-child], a weekly dive into grassroots Southern musical history. This episode is hosted by Nellie Beckett, who is also our social producer. The podcast is produced by Matt Bloom, Elise Catrion Gregg, Drew Hawkins, Orlando Flores Jr. and Ryan Vasquez. Joseph King is our social producer. Our theme music is by DJ Supreme. To get in touch with the team, email connect@gulfstatesnewsroom.org [connect@gulfstatesnewsroom.org]. And support our local station partners by donating to WWNO [https://wwno.secureallegiance.com/wwno/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WEB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=nTVTsCAcZKMVQycLjeawDdW0piuR9ZMb], MPB [https://www.pledgecart.org/home?campaign=EBABB0FB-5C8E-4F49-A51B-CB12FA1FE3C5&source=&_gl=1*p9nank*_gcl_au*Mjg5MDYzNTc1LjE3NDE3MTgyNDQ.*_ga*NTYzNzY4MTMxLjE3NDE3MTgyNDQ.*_ga_2FEM5FVN6S*MTc0NDIxMDk3MS43LjAuMTc0NDIxMDk3MS42MC4wLjA.], or WBHM [https://wbhm.secureallegiance.com/wbhm/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=BASIC&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=9dD3CJn2bYniQl%2byqVkEd4HJipnY8PNT].

The communities caught in the crossfire of redistricting

On this week’s episode, community engagement reporter Elise Catrion Gregg talks with Greg LaRose, editor of the Louisiana Illuminator, about the local effects of redrawing electoral maps. Redistricting is playing out across the Gulf South following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais. Most of the redrawing is occurring at the state level, but local representation is just as vulnerable without protections under the Voting Rights Act. Elise speaks with local officials in Mississippi about their concerns with redistricting on the horizon, and Greg breaks down what cuts to local representation are already taking shape in New Orleans. This episode is hosted by Elise Catrion Gregg. The podcast is produced by Matt Bloom, Drew Hawkins, Orlando Flores Jr. and Ryan Vasquez. Joseph King is our social producer. Nellie Beckett is our community engagement producer. Our theme music is by DJ Supreme. To get in touch with the team, email connect@gulfstatesnewsroom.org [connect@gulfstatesnewsroom.org]. And support our local station partners by donating to WWNO [https://wwno.secureallegiance.com/wwno/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WEB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=nTVTsCAcZKMVQycLjeawDdW0piuR9ZMb], MPB [https://www.pledgecart.org/home?campaign=EBABB0FB-5C8E-4F49-A51B-CB12FA1FE3C5&source=&_gl=1*p9nank*_gcl_au*Mjg5MDYzNTc1LjE3NDE3MTgyNDQ.*_ga*NTYzNzY4MTMxLjE3NDE3MTgyNDQ.*_ga_2FEM5FVN6S*MTc0NDIxMDk3MS43LjAuMTc0NDIxMDk3MS42MC4wLjA.], or WBHM [https://wbhm.secureallegiance.com/wbhm/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=BASIC&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=9dD3CJn2bYniQl%2byqVkEd4HJipnY8PNT].

Jefferson Parish has the most opioid overdoses in Louisiana. How is it spending money intended to help?

On this week’s episode, we take a look at how the parish with the most opioid overdoses in Louisiana is spending its opioid settlement money.  Jefferson Parish is receiving the largest share of money from legal settlements with opioid manufacturers, marketers and distributors. But an investigation [https://www.wwno.org/public-health/2026-05-28/jefferson-parish-is-using-opioid-settlement-money-for-a-new-drug-court-is-it-the-best-use-of-funds] from senior reporter Drew Hawkins and Verite News senior reporter Katie Jane Fernelius [https://veritenews.org/author/katie-fernelius/] shows, so far, the parish has spent little of the money. And some believe what it has been spent on may not be the best investment.  This episode is hosted by Drew Hawkins. The podcast is produced by Matt Bloom, Elise Catrion Gregg, Orlando Flores Jr. and Ryan Vasquez. Joseph King is our social producer. Nellie Beckett is our community engagement producer. Our theme music is by DJ Supreme.  To get in touch with the team, email connect@gulfstatesnewsroom.org [Connect@gulfstatesnewsroom.org].  And support our local station partners by donating to  WWNO [https://wwno.secureallegiance.com/wwno/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WEB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=nTVTsCAcZKMVQycLjeawDdW0piuR9ZMb], WRKF [https://wkrf.donorsupport.co/page/P26S], MPB [https://www.pledgecart.org/home?campaign=EBABB0FB-5C8E-4F49-A51B-CB12FA1FE3C5&source=&_gl=1*p9nank*_gcl_au*Mjg5MDYzNTc1LjE3NDE3MTgyNDQ.*_ga*NTYzNzY4MTMxLjE3NDE3MTgyNDQ.*_ga_2FEM5FVN6S*MTc0NDIxMDk3MS43LjAuMTc0NDIxMDk3MS42MC4wLjA.], or WBHM [https://wbhm.secureallegiance.com/wbhm/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=BASIC&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=9dD3CJn2bYniQl%2byqVkEd4HJipnY8PNT].

The state of FEMA with On the Media’s Micah Loewinger

On this week’s episode, community engagement producer Nellie Beckett talks with Micah Loewinger about his recent podcast "American Emergency: The Movement to Kill FEMA [https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/otm/projects/american-emergency-movement-kill-fema]" — On the Media [https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/otm]’s four-part series on the Federal Emergency Management Administration, the beleaguered federal agency that handles natural disasters, including hurricanes. Loewinger discusses FEMA’s response to Hurricane Katrina, the experience of reporting on the historic tragedy and the media’s role in disaster preparation and response. This episode is hosted and written by Nellie Beckett, who is also our community engagement producer. The podcast is produced by Matt Bloom, Elise Catrion Gregg, Drew Hawkins, Orlando Flores Jr. and Ryan Vasquez. Joseph King is our social producer. Our theme music is by DJ Supreme. To get in touch with the team, email connect@gulfstatesnewsroom.org [connect@gulfstatesnewsroom.org]. And support our local station partners by donating to WWNO [https://wwno.secureallegiance.com/wwno/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WEB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=nTVTsCAcZKMVQycLjeawDdW0piuR9ZMb], MPB [https://www.pledgecart.org/home?campaign=EBABB0FB-5C8E-4F49-A51B-CB12FA1FE3C5&source=&_gl=1*p9nank*_gcl_au*Mjg5MDYzNTc1LjE3NDE3MTgyNDQ.*_ga*NTYzNzY4MTMxLjE3NDE3MTgyNDQ.*_ga_2FEM5FVN6S*MTc0NDIxMDk3MS43LjAuMTc0NDIxMDk3MS42MC4wLjA.], or WBHM [https://wbhm.secureallegiance.com/wbhm/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=BASIC&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=9dD3CJn2bYniQl%2byqVkEd4HJipnY8PNT].

Hip-hop and social-emotional learning at a New Orleans high school

On this week’s episode, we learn about an organization that uses hip-hop and a social-emotional learning curriculum to better connect with students. Jamila Sams created We Do It 4 The Culture five years ago. The organization went to New Orleans Charter Science and Mathematics High School for its first-ever School Cypher Summit, and partnered with rising rap star La Reezy — who’s from New Orleans and a Sci High alumnus. This episode is hosted by Joseph King, who is also our social producer. The podcast is produced by Matt Bloom, Elise Catrion Gregg, Drew Hawkins, Orlando Flores Jr. and Ryan Vasquez. Nellie Beckett is our community engagement producer. Our theme music is by DJ Supreme. To get in touch with the team, email connect@gulfstatesnewsroom.org [connect@gulfstatesnewsroom.org]. And support our local station partners by donating to WWNO [https://wwno.secureallegiance.com/wwno/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WEB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=nTVTsCAcZKMVQycLjeawDdW0piuR9ZMb], MPB [https://www.pledgecart.org/home?campaign=EBABB0FB-5C8E-4F49-A51B-CB12FA1FE3C5&source=&_gl=1*p9nank*_gcl_au*Mjg5MDYzNTc1LjE3NDE3MTgyNDQ.*_ga*NTYzNzY4MTMxLjE3NDE3MTgyNDQ.*_ga_2FEM5FVN6S*MTc0NDIxMDk3MS43LjAuMTc0NDIxMDk3MS42MC4wLjA.], or WBHM [https://wbhm.secureallegiance.com/wbhm/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=BASIC&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=9dD3CJn2bYniQl%2byqVkEd4HJipnY8PNT].