The Common

Team Common is taking some time off to rest and recover over the holidays. In the meantime, we’re sharing some of our favorite stories from WBUR’s newsroom in 2022. Today, we bring you the second part in a series from reporter and producer Lisa Mullins and Lynn Jolicouer. They look at efforts around the Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard area of Boston, also known as Mass and Cass, to get people living there into permanent housing. Today's installment is all about one non-profit’s work to help 150 people into permanent housing. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Team Common is taking some time off to rest and recover for the holidays. In the meantime, we're sharing some of our favorite stories from WBUR's newsroom from over the year. We're kicking the week off with the first of a two-part series from WBUR's Lisa Mullins and Lynn Jolicouer. It’s the story of one man who finds housing, after years of living in the area around Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard in Boston, also known Mass and Cass. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Over the summer, 50 Venezuelan migrants were dropped off on Martha's Vineyard in a political stunt made by Florida Governor, Ron DeSantis. The new arrivals were met with national media attention, and an outpouring of aid. However, as WBUR's Cristela Guerra reports, migrants from Venezuela have been finding their way to Massachusetts for years, finding the help they need among the Venezuelan community that is already here. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Some of you are preparing for your holiday get togethers, and you may want to impress your company with a homemade cocktail. If that’s the case, we got you. Claudiane Philippe is the creator of Nail the Cocktail. She joins The Common's Darryl C. Murphy to teach us an original cocktail recipe to try out over the holidays. Find the recipe for Claudiane's Passionate Brew on WBUR.org. You can find more from Claudiane on Instragram @nailthecocktail. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

The Boston City Council has unanimously approved a task force to study the issue of reparations for Black Bostonians, in light of the city's historic role in slavery and present-day inequality. The Common's Darryl C. Murphy spoke with Masslive reporting fellow Alvin Buyinza, who covered the historic vote. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Khari Thompson, host of the Audacy podcast, 1st and Foxborough, joins the show for a pre-playoffs Patriots check-in. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Cognoscenti is WBUR’s ideas and opinion blog where local experts, writers and thinkers of all kinds share their perspectives on a range of topics. This year gave us plenty of things to ponder and reflect on. So, as the year winds down, we reached out to Cognoscenti senior editor Cloe Axelson to talk to us about three essays from the year that resonated within our community. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

The holidays can be a time of immense joy and excitement, but it's also common to experience feelings of loneliness, stress or anxiety. And those short, chilly days? They're probably not helping. But, help is available. On today's episode, Michelle Ward-Gilles of NAMI Massachusetts join the show to discuss how we can take care of our mental health during the holiday season, and through winter more broadly. If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, help is available. Call the national Lifeline at 9-8-8 to get immediate support. You can also check out the resources available through NAMI Massachusetts on their website. NAMI Massachusetts' Compass Helpline is also available to help you navigate mental health resources in Mass. That number is: 1-800-370-9085. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Reggie Wong Memorial Park is currently Boston Chinatown's only open community space. For years, community members have been trying to obtain a lease for the park from MassDOT in order to make some much-needed updates to the land. However, they've been met with roadblock after roadblock since 2016. WBUR News Fellow Aimee Moon breaks it down for us. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Happy Green Line Extension Week, one and all. On today's episode, Darryl and our producer Katelyn Harrop take us on an opening day ride from the brand-new Medford/Tufts station, all the way to the end of the extension... collecting stories and perspectives from riders along the way. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

The city of Chelsea tested a nine-month guaranteed income program in 2020 as a part of its pandemic relief effort. The outcomes of that program were tracked by researchers at Harvard and those findings are now out. WBUR business reported Yasmin Amer joins to discuss the results of the study. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Large investors have been buying up mobile home communities at a rapid pace over the past few years, including here in Massachusetts. WBUR reporter Simon Rios dives into his reporting on two local mobile home communities that were faced with corporate buyouts, and the two very different outcomes they saw. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Winter is here and it can be hard to find the motivation to leave the comfort of our homes. However, the occasional adventure is good for the soul, especially during the cold and dreary days of December. Thankfully, WBUR CitySpace assistant director Candice Springer is back with a smorgasbord of things to do and eat this month. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

The Boston Music Awards are set for December 14, at Big Night Live. The awards celebrate Boston's local music scene, and shine a light on some of the biggest and newest acts in the area. WBUR's senior arts and culture reporter and critic Amelia Mason joins the show, to give us a taste of a few of the artists she's most excited about ahead of the awards next week. Songs from the episode: Milonga Accidental - Alisa Amador Feels - Rilla Force She’s a Liar - Little Fuss Easy on the Eyes - GA-20 Mona - Winkler Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

The school year got off to a rough start for some districts in the region. There have been issues with school buses, teacher strikes, and in Boston a near takeover of the district. WBUR's education editor Suevon Lee joins the show for a look back at the first half of the 2022-2023 K-12 school year, and a look towards what may be in store for the winter and spring. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Black Market Nubian has provided a marketplace for local Black-owned businesses and makers for five years, including a beloved holiday market. But this market season, which runs Saturdays through December, will be its last. We sat down with Black Market Nubian cofounder Kai Grant for a look at the legacy of the market, what you can expect this month, and what's next for the organization. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

There is a severe labor shortage among care workers who serve people with disabilities. As a result, families are left trying finding ways to bridge the gap in essential care that their loved ones need. WBUR business reporter Yasmin Amer has been following the story. She joins us to discuss why this is happening. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

It’s that time of year. The cold, dreary days of winter are approaching and we know many of you are preparing to hunker down. But, there are huge benefits to getting outside, even when it's chilly, and we're here to help with the details. Today on the show, we have outdoor adventure writer Miles Howard with some of the top destinations for winter hiking, just an MBTA ride from (or in!) Boston. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Families seeking emergency housing in Massachusetts are finding themselves locked out of the state's family shelter system. The reason? The main hotline that is supposed to help match people with housing isn't working properly, leaving people stuck on hold for hours – even days – on end. WBUR senior health and science reporter Gabrielle Emanuel joins the show to explain why this vital service is failing. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

The Boston Common Christmas tree will have its official lighting on Thursday, December 1st. But this isn't just any holiday ceremony, it's the continuation of a tradition started between Boston and our neighbors in Nova Scotia during World War I, and the story behind it is pretty fascinating. We get into it with WBUR's Dan Guzman. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

A virus known as RSV is surging among young children and infants in Massachusetts, putting more stress on the region's already strained hospitals. WBUR senior health reporter Priyanka Dayal McCluskey has been following how doctors are handling the RSV surge. She joins the show to discuss the situation in hospitals across the state, as well as how to help keep your community healthy this winter. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Boston has a bad reputation when it comes to racism that is hard to shake. But that outside image ignores the rich history and experiences of the people of color who have shaped the city for centuries. Boston-based journalist, historian and researcher Dart Adams joins the show to give his perspective on why Boston has a hard time moving beyond its racist reputation. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Team Common is in holiday recovery mode today. So instead of our regular show, we’re bringing you this great story from the WBUR newsroom. At the start of Native American Heritage Month this November, Indigenous people of various nations gathered on the banks of the Mystic River in Charlestown. The Massachusett tribe at Ponkapoag, in collaboration with the Nipmuc and others came to build community, strengthen tribal bonds and learn an ancient skill. WBUR’s Cristela Guerra spoke with some of the teachers and students involved. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Happy Thanksgiving! The Common team is off for the rest of the week, so we thought we’d bring you some great stories from the WBUR newsroom to hold you over. Music from an unsung era in Boston’s history is being celebrated with a new compilation. WBUR’s Andrea Shea spoke to the record store owner who produced a trove of soul and rhythm and blues from local artists. Check out more on this story at wbur.org. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Maybe you have your Thanksgiving plans finalized, or maybe you're still looking for that final dish to finish off your spread. If you're in the latter group, this episode is for you. Haley House program director Jay Vilar joins us to share a recipe for cauliflower stuffing that ought to be a healthy yet tasty addition to your Thanksgiving table. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

This month marks one year in office for Boston mayor Michelle Wu. She’s the first woman, the first Asian-American and the first person of color to be elected to the office, and came in at a time of significant change for the city. Radio Boston's Tiziana Dearing has the chance to interview Wu monthly, so we decided she was the perfect person to join the show for a look back at Mayor Wu's first year in office, and a look ahead to year two. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

A new WBUR investigation finds that more than a dozen police officers who were fired, or who resigned after a misconduct investigation, have been hired by other departments in Massachusetts. WBUR reporter Walter Wuthmann joins "The Common" to discuss his reporting. Find Walt's full investigation at wbur.org. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

We're big fans of trains here at The Common. And so is Boston-area TikTok creator @jeddeo1, known for his deadpanned MBTA review series Adventures with Jed. In this episode, the team takes a trip down the Green Line E branch for their very own adventure with Jed. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

WBUR Investigations has published a story about how homebuyers in Massachusetts are paying high fees for title insurance, most of which goes to real estate lawyers through an opaque process that doesn't receive any official state oversight. Senior investigative reporter Beth Healy joins the show to take us through the reporting. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

The Celtics are objectively on fire so far this season. The Common checks in with WBUR reporter and resident Celtics expert, Simon Rios, about how the season is shaping up so far. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Some young Black people are trading in Boston for cities in the South, in what's being called "reverse migration." Boston Globe reporter Tiana Woodard joins the show to discuss. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

The colder months are finally upon us and energy prices are through the roof this year. WBUR senior environment reporter Miriam Wasser joins the show to share some tips and tricks on how to heat your home without burning your wallet for warmth. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

The first week of "The Common" is come and gone. To celebrate, we sat down with WBUR CitySpace assistant director Candice Springer, who always has her finger on the pulse of what is up in this city. She fills us in on everything there is to watch, experience and eat in Boston during the month of November. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Earlier this week Massachusetts voters made history when they elected Maura Healey as Governor of Massachusetts. She’ll be the first women and openly gay person to hold the office. They also sent four other women to statewide offices including Andrea Campbell, who won her bid for Attorney General, making her the first Black woman to be elected to a statewide office In Massachusetts. Dr. Laurie Nsiah-Jefferson, director of the Center for Women in politics and public policy at UMass Boston, joins the show to help us deconstruct the significance of this election. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Another election is in the books. "The Common" team spent Election Day morning visiting polling locations in East Boston to hear how voters in the neighborhood were feeling about casting their midterm ballots. Host Darryl C. Murphy compares notes with WBUR reporter Walter Wuthmann, who covered the polls in Dorchester and Roxbury. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

It's Election Day here in Massachusetts. Kind of a big deal. Today on The Common, we're talking about something that isn't "officially" on the ballot, but whose future will be greatly affected by Election Day results. That's right, today's all about the MBTA. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

Question 4 on the state's ballot asks voters whether or not to repeal a law that will allow undocumented residents to obtain a driver’s license starting in 2023. It has heavy implications for undocumented Bay Staters from all over the world, in particular, the region’s growing Latino community, which makes up the largest share of the state’s undocumented population. Javier Marin, CEO and publisher of El Planeta, joins the show to discuss how Latino voters are approaching this ballot initiative. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.

The Common is WBUR’s daily podcast where local news and culture meet. Hosted by Darryl C. Murphy, The Common delivers in-depth conversations about Greater Boston with an ear toward the stories that reflect how our region is changing. Listen every weekday morning starting Nov. 7. Greater Boston’s weekly podcast where news and culture meet.