Valley Advocate Podcast Valley Advocate

In continuation of Luis Fieldman's "Seeking Asylum in Western Mass" series, part 2 of the series explores those in the region who are helping asylum seekers settle in western Massachusetts. Jonathan Jenner, a founder of the Western Massachusetts Asylum Support Network, and Hope, a person from Africa who recently received asylum in the region, talk with Advocate editor Dave Eisenstadter about asylum seeker support in Western Mass.

Staff writer Luis Fieldman speaks about the first part of his three-part series on asylum seekers coming to Western Mass. This part focuses on the stories of Ramon and Santiago, whose names we changed to protect their identities as they escaped violence in their home countries.

Valley Advocate Associate Editor Chris Goudreau speaks with Editor Dave Eisenstadter about local preparations for the coronavirus in the Pioneer Valley, based on reporting he did speaking with hospitals, municipalities, and individuals. In the time since this podcast was recorded, medical information has been updated to indicate that in Massachusetts there are 28 presumptive positive cases with one case confirmed.

Since China has stopped accepting much of the United States' recycling, many communities have had to pay to have their recyclables hauled away. Western Mass has been spared that up to now, but beginning July 1 that will change. Writer Chris Goudreau speaks about what this change will mean for many local communities.

David Brule, president of the Nolumbeka Project, based in Greenfield, speaks about a series focusing on Native Americans in the Valley. The series, which will consist of about a dozen events, is in part a response to this year's Plymouth 400 observance, which is more focused on white settlers and the 1620 Plymouth Rock landing by the Pilgrims.

Writer Chris Goudreau wrote a recent piece on local independent record labels in the Valley. Those include Feeding Tube Records in Florence, Disques de Lapin in Brattleboro, and Rub Wrongways Records in Northampton.