Social Justice

Rights and Democracy Vermont takes you through some local issues with guests Dustin Tanner and Adrian Pascual as they join Host Grant Taylor to bring you updates from the front lines of rights campaigns and related issues.

The team responds to the recent hate crimes in Claremont, NH and the Northeast Kingdom, and how it makes us all step back a little when these types of problems come to light and split a community. 

Grant and guests talk about teacher’s unions and their right to strike, in relation to recent events in Burlington. They also explore some recent development projects that will define the face of Burlington for the foreseeable future. Both Memorial Auditorium and City Hall Park are in danger of pandering to big business and for-profit operations instead of welcoming and entertaining all people. 

Finally, they preview a core aspect of RAD’s overall modus operandi for future episodes: Movement Politics.

Sandy Baird, Peter Garritano, Mark Estrin, and Kurt Mehta discuss current events and the impact on world and local communities.

At the Women's Economic Opportunity Conference (WEOC) 2017, U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy is introduced by Vermont Technical College President Patricia Moulton. The keynote speaker for this 21st annual conference is Mary Alice McKenzie, see bio below. The conference is a project of the office of U.S. Senator Leahy in conjunction this year with Change The Story VT.

Mary Alice McKenzie has held a wide variety of leadership positions in both for-profit and non-profit organizations in Vermont, most recently serving as Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Club of Burlington for the past decade. In that role, McKenzie has led an organization that is dedicated to supporting children and teens, providing them with the environment and inspiration to help them achieve their goals. In previous roles, Mary Alice served as President and CEO of McKenzie of Vermont from 1985 through 2000 and later served as General Counsel at the Vermont State Colleges (2001-2005). She also served with the law firm of Paul Frank & Collins, practicing employment law before joining the Boys & Girls Club in 2007. McKenzie has served on a number of for-profit and non-profit boards of directors. A Vermont native, she attended Rice Memorial High School. She graduated from St. Mary’s College in South Bend, Indiana, and Valparaiso University School of Law in Valparaiso, Indiana. She lives in Burlington with her husband, Allan Rodgers, and their five children.

The twin topics on this month's episode are the flip-flop of the Democrat’s progressive wing on immigration and the possible brewing internal division within that party in the run-up to the election.  

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