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The Kenneth Rainin Foundation just announced this year's fellows. Today, we meet one of them, Dr. Ayodele “WordSlanger” Nzinga. Then, we visit a bookstore that’s founded on a mission to serve the community. And, a reading from Berkeley author Adam Mansbach.

Nepal’s constitution protects sexual minorities. Most recently after a long struggle Nepal registered its first same sex marriage, something India next door has refused to do. And now Nepal’s tourism industry is set to cash in.

In this episode, we head to Oakland to meet some very old and very short trees and the dedicated volunteers who care for them. Then, we stop and smell the roses at the Morcom Garden. Plus, a traveling art exhibit on James Baldwin makes a stop in Oakland.

Prison reform in California these might include Norwegian prisons. Today, the Uncuffed episode from Norway which won a Silver award from New York Festival Radio Awards.

Jude Berman's book is about saving democracy and it draws on the wisdom of the Mahābhārata to help us figure that out.