During Women’s History Month, KUCR joins in commemorating and encouraging the study, observance and celebration of the vital role of women in American history. This program block will air from 1:00PM-6:00PM.

National Writers Series: Stephanie Foo (1:00PM)
Stephanie Foo is known for her work on public radio programs such as “Snap Judgment” and “This American Life.” She’s also a columnist, and has now written a book, called “What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma.” Stephanie appeared at a virtual National Writers Series to talk about her book, and also about disability activist Alice Wong, and her memoir “Year of the Tiger: An Activist’s Life.” She spoke with teacher, columnist, and disability advocate Susan Odgers.

I Spy: Real Life Spy Stories (2:00PM)
Espionage was once a mostly male pursuit but these days the top three officials at the CIA are women. On this program we hear from Jonna Mendez, the CIA’s former head of disguise, and Amaryllis Fox, a former undercover agent. Each one tells the story of one dramatic operation.

Program Host – Margo Martindale, Emmy award winning actress who played KGB Handler Claudia on The Americans.

Jonna Mendez spent nearly three decades in the CIA and served as the agency’s head of disguise. She has co-written several books about her work in the agency including The Moscow Rules: The Secret CIA Tactics That Helped America Win the Cold War.

Amaryllis Fox worked as a CIA undercover agent for a decade, getting close to international arms traders who deal in weapons of mass destruction and recruiting them as informers. She recounts her experiences in the book Life Under Cover: Coming of Age in the CIA.

Dorothy Day (3:00PM)
We profile Dorothy Day — a remarkable 20th century figure: journalist and founder of the “Catholic Worker” movement, which established soup kitchens and “houses of hospitality” in the Great Depression. More than 200 Catholic worker facilities remain in operation today. Hear the provocative story of her social activism and inspiring spiritual beliefs.

Also heard is Kathe McKenna, co-founder of Haley House in Boston, a Catholic Worker hospitality center, inspired by the life and work of Dorothy Day. Today, more than fifty years later, Haley House operates a soup kitchen, food pantry, elder meal site, more than a hundred units of affordable housing, an urban farm, and the Haley House Bakery Café. Most recently, they opened Dudley Dough, an inner city workplace that offers a living wage and for customers, healthy pizza.

Her Music/Her Story (4:00PM)
Women at the top of the field in classical music pay tribute to the women who have inspired them. Luminaries like multiple Grammy Award winner JoAnn Falletta, BBC Proms soloist Jamie Barton, The Marvels composer Laura Karpman, and many more introduce music by composers like Florence Price, Clara Schumann, Lucija Garuta, as well as performances from Isatah Kanneh-Mason, Marian Anderson, and even Ella Fitzgerald.