Every year the Texas Tribune puts on a festival to discuss and celebrate big and bold ideas within politics and policy. Tribune co-founder Evan Smith used to call it “SXSW for political nerds.”
Today is the start of this year’s event and some familiar public radio folks are part of the action. Among them: Texas Standard’s own Kristen Cabrera, who broke down a few of the panels.
One is moderated by KUT News reporter Andrew Weber, entitled “Arrested Developments: Why are crime clearance rates so low?” and tackles the metric often utilized in determining how well law enforcement is doing its job.
“The folks that he’ll be talking with have a wide range of experiences when it comes to crime,” Cabrera said. “There’s someone who was an LA police detective for over 30 years, there’s a criminal justice advocate who is focusing on police reform, and then there’s an experts on economics and crime. So it sounds like it’s gonna be a really robust conversation.”
The Texas Newsroom investigative reporter and editor Lauren McGaughy will be moderating a panel on a topic she has covered extensively – heat in Texas prisons.
The panel, “Uncool: Don’t triple-digit temperatures in Texas prisons count as cruel and unusual punishment?,” will also feature Texas director Richard Linklater.
Cabrera’s own panel will focus on topic popular among listeners: mariachi.
“We the Texans: More than music” will be moderated by Cabrera and also includes two previous Texas Standard guests: “Going Varsity in Mariachi” co-director Alejandra Vasquez and “Canto Contigo” author Jonny Garza Villa. San Jose State professor José Torres-Ramos rounds out the panel
“It’ll be a really exciting panel. I’m very excited for it,” Cabrera said, adding: “My first Texas Standard reported story was on the UIL mariachi competition.”
Full schedule of public radio voices at this year’s Texas Tribune Festival
• “Morning Edition” host Michel Martin hosts a one-on-one discussion with Maryland Governor Wes Moore on his first two years leading the Old Line State and the sprint to Election Day. 9 a.m., Sept. 6, at the Paramount Theatre.
• NPR media correspondent David Folkenflik will have a one-on-one conversation with Katharine Viner, editor-in-chief of “The Guardian,” on guiding the work of this UK news organization, coverage of the new British prime minister and how “The Guardian’s” global newsroom is covering American politics. 4:30 p.m., Friday, Sept. 6, at St. David’s Episcopal Church.
• “Texas Standard’s” Kristen Cabrera moderates a discussion on how mariachis tells the story of everyday Texas, followed by a book signing by Jonny Garza Villa in the Festival Bookstore. 9:30 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 7 in the Palo Duro tent at Open Congress. Free and open to the public.
• NPR political correspondent (and former KUT News reporter) Ashley Lopez moderates the discussion Unsuppressed: On voting rights, threats to democracy and the will of the people, featuring former Georgia State Representative and current voting rights activist Stacey Abrams. 10:45 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 7, at St. David’s Episcopal Church.
• KUT News’ Andrew Weber, who covers criminal justice, policing, courts and homelessness, will moderate the discussion “Arrested Developments: Why are crime clearance rates so low?” 2:15 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 7, at Captain America at Capital Factory.
• Lauren McGaughy, investigative reporter and editor for The Texas Newsroom, is leading the panel “Uncool: Don’t triple-digit temperatures in Texas prisons count as cruel and unusual punishment?” (with filmmaker Richard Linklater). 2:45 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 7. Palo Duro Tent at Open Congress. Free and open to the public.
• NPR CEO Katherine Maher will discuss the future of public media. 4:30 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 7, in the Pennybacker Ballroom in the Omni Hotel.
