Paris Alston hosts this weekly series that serves up Black intellect, culture and joy. Rooted covers Black news and culture from down the block to around the diaspora. In a global news cycle that’s always cooking up new headlines, Rooted brings you the recipes you don’t want to lose: the stories, the voices, the dialogue that keep us connected. Tell us what you think and what you’d like to hear on future episodes at Rooted@wgbh.org (mailto:Rooted@wgbh.org).
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How white parents can raise Black children with confidence?
Can white parents raising Black children fully prepare them for the realities of racism, identity and belonging? On this episode of GBH News Rooted, host Paris Alston examines the controversy surrounding transracial adoption with Erik Mohn, author of Stranger in My Own Story, and child and adult psychiatrist Dr. Cecil R. Webster, Jr. Together, they explore the challenges Black adoptees face growing up in white families, the importance of cultural connection and what adoptive parents can do to nurture their children's racial identity.
7 Oct 2026
Could Gary's power crisis spark a national reckoning on climate resilience and energy justice?
Following a catastrophic derecho that left thousands of residents in Gary, Indiana, without power for days and, in some cases, weeks, questions are mounting about utility accountability, climate resilience, and infrastructure equity. Journalist Jan Barnes examines how years of rising utility rates, aging electrical systems, and extreme weather combined to create a crisis in one of America's most historically Black industrial cities. As state regulators investigate the utility's response and residents pursue legal action, the Gary blackout has become a powerful case study in climate justice, grid reliability, and the growing energy burden facing communities of color across the United States. The story raises urgent national questions: Who gets restored first when disaster strikes, and is America's electric grid prepared for an era of increasingly severe weather?
30 Sept 2026
Are Black student-athletes being protected from racism in high school sports?
Teamwork, discipline, belonging. Those are the promises of youth sports. But for some student-athletes, the game comes with racism, intimidation and lasting trauma. GBH News investigative reporter Chris Burrell joins Paris Alston to discuss his reporting on racial harassment, bullying and accountability in Massachusetts high school athletics, including allegations of racist abuse directed at Black athletes. Together, they examine where competition crosses the line into harm, the role coaches and athletic officials play in preventing it, and whether current efforts to address hate in school sports are making a difference.
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