Think Out Loud

We learn about how the ESPERE program works. ESPERE stand for “Escuela de Perdón y Reconciliación,” which translates to “The School of Forgiveness and Reconciliation.” It’s aimed at helping Latina immigrant women heal from trauma. We talk with the Adelante Mujeres coordinator Lupe Hernandez, and one of the participants, Estela Cortez.

Oregon will say goodbye to trailblazing politician Norma Paulus this weekend at a public memorial service. We look back on the life and legacy of the first woman to hold statewide office in Oregon with Gail Wells, co-author of “The Only Woman in the Room: The Norma Paulus Story.” Paulus died February 28 at the age of 85. The public memorial service for Norma Paulus will be Saturday, April 27 at 2pm in the Smith Auditorium at Willamette University in Salem.

We hear opinions and analysis on some of this week’s big news stories from Bridget Barton, Erious Johnson and Laura Gunderson.

Last week the Oregon Senate narrowly passed a bill that would scale back mandatory minimum sentences for juvenile offenders. Yesterday, that bill got a hearing in front of the house judiciary committee chaired by House Majority Leader Jennifer Williamson. We also hear from Washington County District Attorney Kevin Barton.

Portland writer Chelsea Cain's novel “One Kick” is about a kidnapping survivor named Kick who helps the FBI catch perpetrators of similar crimes. Now, the novel has been adapted into a series called "Gone" airing on the WGN Network as the series And her comic "Man-Eaters," a fantastical narrative about girls who turn into panthers when they get their periods, is earning praise from a wide audience. We catch up with Cain about being a creative producer for "Gone" and how she sees both that series and "Man-Eaters" contributing to the larger conversation about women and power in the current political and cultural climate.

St. Mary’s Academy sophomore Belise Nishimwe is heading to Washington D.C. to compete in a national poetry contest after she won the Oregon Poetry Out Loud competition. Belise Nishimwe moved to the U.S. from a refugee camp in Tanzania when she was 5 years old. Now she says she hopes her win will inspire other immigrants and refugees.

Nearly 20 years ago, Tennessee and its child welfare department faced a class action lawsuit on behalf of all the children in the state’s care. The state settled the lawsuit and spent 16 years implementing reform and demonstrating that the system was producing better results for children. Following news of a similar class action in Oregon and our series exploring Tennessee’s prevention approach to child welfare, we talk with Judith Meltzer with The Center for the Study of Social Policy. The Center recently released a case study of how Tennessee responded to its lawsuit.

How does genocide happen? Can anything be done to prevent it? Samir Mustafic survived genocide in Bosnia. Rosalyn Kliot’s parents met in a concentration camp in Estonia. We learn how their experiences have shaped them, and what we all can learn from that trauma.

The Portland Trail Blazers stunned the Oklahoma City Thunder in the final seconds of game five in the first round of the playoffs. Point guard Damian Lillard scored 50 points and shot the 3 pointer that clinched the game. Casey Holdahl, digital reporter for the Blazers tells us what the game felt like on the ground.

Last week the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife released a draft plan for wolf conservation and management. Among other things, the new plan details how and when wolves can be killed for preying on livestock. It also contains a section on how to resolve conflicts without killing wolves. Derek Broman, the carnivore furbearer coordinator for ODFW, shares the state’s strategy for managing Oregon’s wolf population.

We discuss the latest regional business news with Suzanne Stevens, editor of the Portland Business Journal.

In 2016, the Oregon Department of Corrections agreed to make significant changes to the way it treats people housed in the Behavioral Health Unit at the Oregon State Penitentiary. We’ll talk to DOC director Colette Peters about the progress the department has made, and about what improvements are still on the horizon.

Researchers can spend years finding and studying whales, orcas, and dolphins in the open ocean. The Breath of a Whale, a new book from naturalist Leigh Calvez, tells the story of these magnificent mammals and the challenges they face from human impacts, including climate change.

We hear opinions and analysis of this week’s local news from Marisa Zapata, Kerry Tymchuk and Christy George.

Nick Sifuentes, the head custodian at Hogan Cedars Elementary School in Gresham, is one of 10 finalists for the national Custodian of the Year award. We talk with Sifuentes about what it means to be a great custodian.

How do you talk to kids about sex? Or drug use? Or bullying? What makes children feel comfortable enough with adults that they are willing to disclose abuse or trauma? Having conversations with young people about difficult topics can feel daunting to any adult. But talking about trauma is an important part of healing. Sonia Manzano spent years making kids feel comfortable playing the role of Maria on Sesame Street. We are also joined by Desiree Bansile, a Wraparound Partner Manager for Youth ERA, Dr. Kristan Collins, a pediatrician, and Bob Stewart, Superintendent of the Gladstone School District.

Although the University of Oregon women’s basketball team made it to the Final Four in the NCAA tournament for the first time this year, fans can’t buy replica jerseys with the athletes’ numbers. Some fans have started a petition asking Nike to start making women’s replica jerseys. Lori Shontz, a University of Oregon journalism instructor and former sports reporter, tells us what the conversation about jerseys says about the support for women’s sports.

Julie Esparza Brown has devoted her career to education. She’s an associate professor in the Special Education Department at Portland State University. And since 2015, she has served on the Portland Public Schools board. Esparza Brown recently announced that she won’t run for a second term on the board. We talk with her about what the past four years have been like and what it has meant to her to be the only person of color on the PPS board.

Should high-income homeowners and people who own more than one home continue to get tax breaks? Some Democratic lawmakers in Salem want to get rid of the mortgage interest deduction for people who own second homes and for those who earn more than $250,000 a year. Republicans who opposes the change say it opens the door to eliminating a tax break that is key to incentivizing home ownership. We hear from Rep. Alissa Keny-Guyer, D-Portland and Rep. Jack Zika, R-Redmond.

White supremacy propaganda nearly doubled in the U.S. between 2017 and 2018, according to a report by the Anti-Defamation League. A new toolkit from the Western States Center aims to help educators and students recognize and respond to white nationalist activity and recruitment in schools. We talk with Jessica Acee, an educator at St. Mary’s Academy and the co-author of “Confronting White Nationalism in Schools.”