This week: International Communities in CoMO
Have you ever noticed that there are a lot more languages and cultures coming together in Columbia than you might expect from a small Midwestern city? Today on Intersection we’re talking about mid-Missouri’s international communities. Why is Columbia more culturally diverse than other parts of the Midwest, and what does that international influence bring to the city?

Today we’re joined by three guests who work and live on the frontlines of mid-Missouri’s international communities - and two of them were born outside the US, but now call Columbia home.
Guests:

Noor Azizan-Gardner, chief diversity officer at MU
Eduardo Crespi, founder of Centro Latino
Shelly Fair, coordinator of ELL programs — or English Language Learning — programs for the Columbia Public Schools

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About the program
Each week, we start with an issue that affects people like you in mid-Missouri. Then we line up a group of panelists who can speak intelligently about that topic, and bring them into the studio for a live discussion every Monday at 2 p.m.

Net Neutrality: the debate and how it might affect you (March 24)

The internet age has brought to us the ability to get large amounts of information, from across the globe, delivered to our fingertips within seconds. This access provides us with a powerful amount of interconnectedness, and information (not to mention entertainment!). But how should this access and interconnectedness be distributed? Should it be available to everyone equally, or should big companies - like Netflix and Amazon - be restricted because of the amount of data they are streaming? What does all of this mean for the economy, democracy and those of us just trying to stream movies at home?

Executions in Missouri – the social, ethical and political factors (March 17)

Recent discussions
In Missouri and across the nation, the process of executing criminals is becoming complicated. It’s one of our society’s most somber, and impactful, tasks. But how much do you know about the process? If you don’t know much about it, there may be a reason for that. Two of our colleagues at in public radio have investigated and found that the process is shrouded in secrecy. Meantime, four people have been executed in Missouri in as many months, after years of less frequent executions. Today, we’ll try to shed some light on the process of executions in Missouri. We’ll discuss the death penalty: How complicated is it? How transparent is it? How expensive is it? And what legal questions are there about the way it’s being administered now?

When could marijuana laws change in Missouri?  (March 10)

Debate over Marijuana legalization or decriminalization had gone on for many years, but with recent changes in many states across the country, in many places the debate has moved from theoretical to logistical. Legalization of marijuana for recreational use in Colorado and Washington state has gone into effect, and many are watching to see how it plays out. For proponents, opponents, and legislators, the process could serve as a litmus test for similar laws in other states.

Here in Missouri, measures in the legislature have already been introduced this year that would affect the state’s policies on marijuana. Today on Intersection, we’ll talk about some of those measures, and some of the political and practical factors at play.

A preview of the 2014 True/False Film Festival (Feb. 24)

The True False Film Fest is back in Columbia for it’s 11th year. The documentary festival draws thousands of people each year, and brings in most of the year’s best films. This year, one of the films is based in Missouri, and made by mid-Missouri natives. Rich Hill documents a year in the life of three teenagers from the town Rich Hill in West Central Missouri.

Today on the show we’ll talk about that film, about what it’s like to produce a film in Missouri, and about the festival as a whole.

TIFs and downtown development in Columbia (Feb. 17)

At a meeting tonight, members of Columbia’s City Council are expected to vote on a resolution offering preliminary support for a downtown TIF district. The idea, which would fund downtown infrastructure improvements, would freeze sales and property taxes for up to 23 years – money from any additional future revenue increases would then be diverted to a special fund for those improvements.

Local leaders and the community are divided over the idea. Today on Intersection, we’ll talk to the city manager about downtown development in Columbia. In the second half of the show, we’ll ask the city manager your questions, which we gathered throughout the week.

MU football player Michael Sam comes out; Why Missouri has a shortage of mental health professionals (Feb. 10)

On Sunday, MU football player Michael Sam publicly came out as gay in interviews with several media outlets. There has of course been a lot of reaction to the news, with many praising the defensive lineman’s decision and others questioning whether it’ll affect his prospects of being drafted into the NFL. Sam would be the first openly gay player in the NFL if he is drafted. Before his announcement, he was projected to be taken in the third or fourth round.

This week on Intersection, we’re breaking format just slightly to talk about this developing story. In the first part of the show, w'e'll talk about the significance of Michael Sam's announcement. Later in the show, we’ll talk about the implications of Missouri’s shortage of mental health professionals. 
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Exploring Columbia's civil rights history (Feb. 3)

Later this week, MU will host a panel discussion exploring the civil rights history of the university. The talk, which takes place this Thursday night at the Missouri Theater, is just one of a number of events scheduled across town to honor Black History Month.

Locally, much has improved since the days of Jim Crow, but some believe that more can be done to make Columbia a more inclusive community.

This week on Intersection, we’ll take a look back at some of the civil rights gains at MU and the town at large, and talk about the lessons that can be learned from them.
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