This Week on WURD: Chávez allegations, DHS leadership, media threats, Target boycotts & Black womanhood

March 20, 2026

WURD Radio

Emma Garcia, reporter with El Tecolote, joined Dr. James Peterson on Evening WURDs to discuss the emergence of allegations of sexual abuse and rape against César Chávez. Among the survivors of the alleged abuse are children and young women, including famed activist Dolores Huerta. Garcia discussed the tension between legacy and accountability.

Levi Rickart, editor and publisher of Native News Online, joined Evening WURDs to discuss Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma and his potential leadership of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Rickert talked about the irony of a Native American being named to oversee ICE, whose agents have targeted, detained and assaulted indigenous people.

Linn Washington, Temple University professor and veteran journalist, joined Solomon Jones on Wake Up With WURD to analyze threats toward media outlets from the FCC and Trump allies. He framed the actions as part of a broader pattern of political pressure on the press.

Nekima Levy Armstrong, Minneapolis civil rights attorney and activist, joined Evening WURDs to address ongoing protests against Target. She said the boycott remains active despite claims from other activists that it has ended, highlighting tensions within organizing circles and differing strategies for economic pressure.

Bailey Tippen, the actor who plays “Sylvie” in Tyler Perry’s Netflix series Beauty in Black, joined Tiffany Bacon on The Midday Break Room to discuss the show’s exploration of power, class and survival. She reflected on the discipline required to stay in the industry and representing complex Black women onscreen.

Jamilah Lemieux, journalist, writer and author of Black Single Mother, joined Evening WURDs to examine dating, parenting, and gender dynamics in Black communities. She discussed the “strong Black woman” trope and how responsibility for single motherhood is placed on Black women without acknowledging structural factors that strain Black families.