Shows
The GatewayTuesday, Jan. 6 - "It’s not 'Midwest nice'"The University of Missouri has lost almost a third of its Black student population over the last decade, and students say a lack of Black faculty is part of the reason. Lilley Halloran reports faculty say hostility from university leadership makes it hard to stay.
2026-01-0610 min
Kansas City TodayFRIDAY 12/19/2025: Why are so many Black students ditching Mizzou?From 2013-2023, Black student enrollment declined almost 34% at the University of Missouri — and Black students there have much to say about why. Overall enrollment at Mizzou fell just about 10% from 2013-2023, according to data collected from the National Center for Education Statistics. For both current and former Black and African-American students who describe a history and culture of racism, the 34% decline in Black student enrollment is unsurprising — and is evidence validating their own experiences on campus. KBIA's Lilley Halloran reports.Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on Instagram and Facebook for the lates...
2025-12-1908 minAD FREE-KC2DAYFRIDAY 12/19/2025: Why are so many Black students ditching Mizzou?From 2013-2023, Black student enrollment declined almost 34% at the University of Missouri — and Black students there have much to say about why. Overall enrollment at Mizzou fell just about 10% from 2013-2023, according to data collected from the National Center for Education Statistics. For both current and former Black and African-American students who describe a history and culture of racism, the 34% decline in Black student enrollment is unsurprising — and is evidence validating their own experiences on campus. KBIA's Lilley Halloran reports.Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on Instagram and Facebook for the lates...
2025-12-1908 min
Minor IssuesThe Importance of VotingWe’re back for season three and kicking the season off with a very important topic: youth voting.
In the 2020 election, only 50% of youth voters aged 18-19 showed up to the polls, the lowest voter turnout of all age groups.
Matthew from the That’s SO Matthew podcast joins us to talk about how teenagers can become informed voters. With so many other things happening in the world, voting can often fall to the back of our minds. But the reality is that we can’t have a democracy if we aren’t all casting our ballo...
2021-12-0812 minMinor IssuesSeason 3Season 3 is coming soon to you!!
As the heirs to so many problems, it is our responsibility as young people to educate ourselves sooner rather than later. Though it may be hard to see the good in this sometimes, the listeners of Minor Issues overwhelmingly agree it is important. Tune in to this quick trailer to learn more.
2021-12-0101 minMinor IssuesWhat is Critical Race Theory?Just in the first few months of this year, the term critical race theory was mentioned nearly two thousand times on Fox News. And 2021 has seen a flurry of red states pass legislation banning critical race theory from being taught in school systems. While these laws have been met with widespread approval from conservatives, liberals all over the country are in outcry. And in spite of all this debate, millions of Americans still don’t understand what critical race theory even is. This week, a fellow teen podcaster, Halima, joins me to break all of this down and explain in de...
2021-09-0814 minMinor IssuesWe Have a Long Way to Go: Women in PoliticsOver one hundred years after women earned the right to vote in America, women remain totally under-represented in government. Although the number of women running for office and winning has increased over the years, America still has a long way to go. This week, Anika joins us to share the facts about women in politics, discuss why it is important that women are involved, talk about the challenges we face and break down the ways that teens can get involved. Thanks for tuning in this week!
Find Anika: instagram.com/project.hearth, msha.ke/projecthearth
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2021-08-2514 min
Minor IssuesCollege Applications?!It's back-to-school season in America, meaning that much of the Class of 2022 is gearing up to apply to college. This week, my friend Michael joins us to talk about becoming appealing applicant, navigating the cost of college, applying test-optional, and dealing with rejections and helping our peers. Whether you’re a senior now or you will be in a couple of years, it’s important to be educated about the ins and outs of college applications!
Thanks for tuning in!
Find Michael: https://www.instagram.com/michael.bosticc/reels/
Find Minor Issues: linktr.ee/minorissuespodcast
Resources for applying to college: colleg...
2021-08-1114 minMinor IssuesYour Guide to the COVID-19 VaccinesCovid-19 cases are on the rise across America as the number of people getting vaccinated every day drops. With just under 50 percent of the population fully vaccinated, we have a long way to go before we hit herd immunity in America. This week, the founder of Teens for Vaccines joins us to cover how the COVID-19 vaccines work, debunk myths, offer advice for everyone, and more.
If you are hesitant to get your shot, please listen to this episode! And if you’re already vaccinated, learn how you can join the effort to curb this pandemic. Thanks for...
2021-07-2814 minMinor IssuesBeauty StandardsBeauty standards - the unspoken ideals that define what it is to be attractive - rule everything these days. They promote diet culture, cause people to feel low self-esteem, encourage eurocentrism, and leave POC people and diverse body types unrepresented in the media. This week Lanu joins me to talk about why we have beauty standards, how they affect teenagers and what we can do to get rid of them. And of course, she gives advice to those who are struggling with body image.
Thanks for tuning in!
Find Minor Issues - linktr.ee/minorissuespodcast
2021-07-1411 minMinor IssuesHappy Pride!After a long absence, we're back with a new episode! This week, I talked with our freelancer Riya and her friend Dylan in a special episode for Pride Month. They share what it was like coming out, discuss the current climate surrounding the LGBTQ+ community and give advice for those who are struggling to come out and for those who want to be better allies. Whether you're out and proud, know nothing about the LGBTQ+ community or are somewhere in between, Riya and Dylan's message is an important one.
Happy (last day of) Pride Month!
Le...
2021-06-3012 minMinor IssuesBiculturalismThis week, I talked with one of our ambassadors, Riya, about biculturalism. Riya shares what it's like juggling both her Indian and American identities and talks about things she likes and dislikes about being bicultural. She also discusses the pressure to live up to Western ideals and shares how everyone, regardless of background, can open up the conversation. Thanks for tuning in!
FIND MINOR ISSUES // email us at minorissuespodcast@gmail.com to be featured on the pod!
How to get a sticker: 1) Do ONE of these things: write a review on Apple Podcasts, send us...
2021-04-1408 minMinor IssuesStop Asian HateThe COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted and exacerbated a heartbreaking and often hidden part of society: racism against Asian people. Much of the country has watched in horror as mass shootings, verbal and physical attacks, and ignorant comments finally begin to reach the media. This week I talked with two of my friends, Jenny and Vicki, about their experiences as Asian Americans and their thoughts. I appreciated their insight so much and I hope you will take their suggestions to heart.
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AAPI Website
2021-04-0211 minMinor IssuesOne Year LaterA year after COVID-19 was declared as a pandemic, teens reflect on what we've had to go through. Lilley reads the thoughts of several teens who share how they've struggled, how they've thrived, what they miss about pre-pandemic life, and what they're looking forward to for the future. This episode paints the picture of what life has been like for Gen Z this past year, and it sends an important message: we're not alone.
Thanks for tuning in, and thanks to everyone who shared their thoughts this week. If you ever need to talk about anything, don't h...
2021-03-1713 minMinor IssuesWhat is Civic Education?Only 26% of Americans know there are 3 branches of government. Many states don't require classes about civics to be a graduation requirement. As a result, millions of teens aren't educated about the Constitution, how government works, or their fundamental rights. This will have lasting impacts. Gen Z is the future for politics and schooling in America, meaning that we need to be informed. This week, I talked with Nick about all things civic education and what we can be doing to spread awareness.
Thanks for tuning in!
Find Civic Wave // Find Edison Civic Change
2021-03-0310 minMinor IssuesSchool is Stressful! (ft. Study Break)Students these days have to deal with challenging classes, high expectations, extracurriculars, procrastination, standardized tests, and so much more. Not to mention, virtual school has made all of this more complicated. This week, I talked with Melody from Study Break about how all of this is affecting our mental health. She shares some great insight into what we can do manage stress and create a better school environment for everyone! Thanks so much to Melody for sharing so much positivity!
FIND THE STUDY BREAK PODCAST // INSTAGRAM
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2021-02-1712 minMinor IssuesWhat is the Water Crisis?Did you know that over 600 million people lack access to clean water? Or that waterborne diseases kill more people than AIDS, malaria, and world violence combined? Most people don't know this, because the water crisis doesn’t get very much attention.
So this week, in an effort to spread more awareness, I talked with TJ about the Thirst Project and what would happen if all the world had clean water. And of course, how GenZ can help.
THIRST PROJECT WEBSITE//INSTAGRAM
FIND MINOR ISSUES // GET A FREE STICKER!! -- 1) Do ONE of these things: write a review on Apple Podcasts, sen...
2021-02-0311 minMinor Issues"The World's Largest Protest"Tons of people are camped outside of Delhi, India. And international media has barely covered it. Why? They're protesting 3 bills that strip protections away from farmers and change the country's agriculture system. The farmers have had to contend with violence from law enforcement and harsh conditions, but they haven't given up. This week, in order to raise awareness, I talked with Manseerat about these bills, the protests, and what we can do to help.
HELP THE CAUSE -- donate // sign the petition
NEWS COVERAGE -- Vox video // NYT article
FIND MI...
2021-01-2013 minMinor IssuesCancel CultureIt's our first episode of Season 2!
2020 felt like the year when celebrities were being "cancelled" left and right. Influencers were issuing apologies for mistakes big and small. All of this sparked a conversation about cancel culture. Are we ruining these people's lives? Is it ever okay to cancel someone? How do we call people out properly? Is it activism? This week, Shanze joins me to talk about all of this and most importantly, how young people should be treating cancel culture. What if we started "boycotting" instead of "cancelling"?
FIND MINOR ISSUES: linktr.ee/minorissuespodcast
2021-01-0611 minMinor IssuesSeason 2!!Us young people like to speak our minds, and we're fully ready to keep tackling the world's problems. Listen to these quick highlights from Season 1 and get ready for Season 2, coming January 6th!
2021-01-0101 minMinor IssuesImmigrationTo conclude Season 1, I talked to Malak, who immigrated to Canada a few years ago. She talks about her immigration experience, along with the common issues that many immigrants go through. Discrimination against immigrants is a serious problem in many countries, and something that we should all be working to end. Hope you enjoy!
We will be back with Season 2 (and some big updates) on January 6th!
FIND MINOR ISSUES: linktr.ee/minorissuespodcast
2020-12-0910 minMinor IssuesGun ViolenceGun violence is an American epidemic, and one of the reasons why younger generations are so "political". How can we ignore gun violence when we face active shooter drills at school, and news of mass shootings nearly every week? How can we ignore it when 100 people die of gun violence every day? And the fact is, legislators and politicians don't consider gun reform to be a top priority, so it's up to us to make it that way. This week, I talked with three activists - Alan, Mariah, and Sarah - who all share insights into this issue and...
2020-11-2511 minMinor IssuesFake News (and Other Media Problems)Without the media, we would have no idea what was going on in the world. But there are many issues surrounding journalism that directly threaten our ability to consume credible news. According to Pew Research Center, our generation is less concerned about fake news than any other age group. But we are also the generation that receives most of our news from social media, where misinformation can spread extremely quickly.
At the same time, journalists in many countries are being oppressed. And local news is declining, causing people to go uninformed about events and movements in their...
2020-11-1109 minMinor IssuesVote!We're less than a week away from an election, and it feels like a big turning point in America. How will this affect our future? Even though a lot of us can't vote, it's still important to stay informed. So this week, I talked with my friends Katherine, Sam, and Avonelle about the issues that mean the most to them. They also give us ways to help out with the election, and some big takeaways we should be thinking about this week.
For those of you who are old enough, please vote! We're here to answer any q...
2020-10-2809 minMinor IssuesVaccinesEvery year, millions of teens miss out on their vaccines. That's something Kelly, the founder of VaxTeen, is determined to stop. This week, I talked with Kelly about what vaccines are, why they're important, and how the anti-vax movement affects teens. She also provides some insight on the COVID-19 vaccine, and how teens can get involved. Hope you enjoy!
I'd highly encourage you to visit Kelly's website, voicesforvax.org, in order to see how your state addresses minor consent to vaccines. She also provides guides on what every vaccine does, and allows you to track current legislation...
2020-10-1410 minMinor IssuesBONUS: Don't You Feel Helpless?Hey friends! Marlow (who I interviewed earlier this week) shared a poem with me about the climate crisis, feeling hopeless, and how to persevere. It's called Don't You Feel Helpless? I thought you all might like to hear it. Enjoy!
If you haven't already, be sure to listen to my interview with her in The Climate Crisis Part 2.
Find Minor Issues: linktr.ee/minorissuespodcast
Don't forget to apply to our team, leave a review, or follow our Instagram by clicking the link above!
2020-10-0305 minMinor IssuesThe Climate Crisis Part 2As wildfires rage across America, we’re facing the direct impacts of climate change. Yet some people are having trouble accepting the facts. To learn more about the movement to address climate change, I turned to the experts: teenagers. Because the crisis directly threatens our future, teen activists across the world have have started to speak out. In part 2 of this special series, I talk with Marlow, who explains how she got interested in climate change, how climate injustice affects communities, what fracking is, how she envisions the future of our planet, along with other things. Hope you enjoy!...
2020-09-3013 minMinor IssuesThe Climate Crisis Part 1As wildfires rage across America, we’re facing the direct impacts of climate change. Yet some people are having trouble accepting the facts. To learn more about the movement to address climate change, I turned to the experts: teenagers. Because the crisis directly threatens our future, teen activists across the world have have started to speak out. In this special two part series, I talk to three of those teens. This week, Karla and Anna discuss what climate change is, how they got interested in it, the ways that leaders have addressed it, and how they envision the future of...
2020-09-2315 minMinor IssuesCybersecurityYunus, our producer, has been interested in computers for many years. So this week, Lilley had a chat with him about all the ways to stay safe on the internet. He explains how attacks on companies like Twitter happen, how Facebook got away with stealing user data for so long, and offers up some helpful tips on all the ways teenagers can keep their data safe. Hope you enjoy!
This episode contains an important announcement about the future of Minor Issues! Starting this week, we're switching to release every two weeks (that means the next episode will be September 23rd...
2020-09-0908 minMinor IssuesSegregated SchoolsHi friends! Khadija, Zakiyah, and Hope are part of a Desegregation program, where they're bused from where they live in the city, to a higher funded, predominantly white county school everyday. The goal of the program is to provide a better education for black students, but sometimes they struggle with microaggressions and feeling like they don't belong.
The three of them are in a unique position to help expose the inequalities surrounding America's education system, and provide solutions that benefit everyone. In our conversation, they list pros and cons of the Deseg program, open up about what...
2020-09-0212 minMinor IssuesGeneration ZThis week I teamed up with Mandela, who hosts the podcast Table Talk, to discuss everything surrounding Generation Z (anyone born from 1996-2012). We talked about the pros and cons of using social media as our primary tool, Gen Z's strengths and weaknesses, why we aren't taken as seriously, as well as how to work on bettering the world.
Thanks for listening!
Find Table Talk: anchor.fm/mandela3
Find Minor Issues: linktr.ee/minorissuespodcast -- to visit our website, follow us on Instagram, or send us a voice message!
2020-08-2613 minMinor IssuesCanada, Covid, and the USHi friends! This week I had a chat with Shioban and Maya, who run the blog A Teen Perspective. Since they both live in Canada, we discuss the relationship between the US and Canada and how that's been affected by the pandemic. They also share their thoughts on the measures Canada has taken and how teenagers can help.
Find Minor Issues:
linktr.ee/minorissuespodcast -- to visit our website, follow us on Instagram, or send us a voice message!
Find A Teen Perspective:
Blog -- ateenperspective.wixsite.com/ateenperspective
Instagram -- instagram.com/ateenperspective
please excuse any audio issues from re...
2020-08-1915 minMinor IssuesSustainable Fashion with @ssustainably_This week I got to talk with Gaia, who runs the Instagram page @ssustainably_, about how to be a conscious consumer and practice sustainable fashion. We cover the impacts of fast fashion, modern slavery, racism in the clothing industry, and how young people can get involved, even when they can't support the movement financially.
I've been really excited to share this episode because its a topic I just discovered, and I'd highly recommend to everyone, even if you're not interested in fashion. Have a great week!
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2020-08-1217 minMinor IssuesA Feminist ConversationThis week, Lilley talks about feminism and the way women are treated with her friend Cecilia. They cover some of the big issues surrounding women in society, including how they're treated at work, their portrayal in the media, and America's problems with sexual assault.
Because feminism is SO broad, you can look for more episodes on it in the future, but this is a great introduction. Have a great week everyone!
To learn more about Minor Issues, follow us on Instagram @minorissuespodcast or visit our website: minorissues.carrd.co.
2020-08-0509 minMinor IssuesBack to School?As COVID cases rise, people all across the country are debating how to start the school year. Is virtual learning smarter, or should schools re-open? That's the question Lilley tackles this week with two of her classmates, Elham and Sophie, who have different opinions on the matter. The media has shared the thoughts of politicians, school boards, and doctors on going back to school, but the students don't really have a voice in the matter. So, in this episode you can hear the arguments from the students themselves -- one who favors going back to school and who doesn't...
2020-07-2911 minMinor IssuesCollege in AmericaAt some point you've probably wondered why college is so expensive. Or you want to know what colleges to apply to and how to get in. Maybe you're curious to know how COVID-19 is affecting the schools. Lilley has had all these questions too; so this week she interviewed her friend Noor to talk about all things college in America. Enjoy!
Next week's episode is about re-opening school, and we want to hear your thoughts! Send a voice message at anchor.fm/minorissues/message to be featured in the podcast!
2020-07-2209 minMinor IssuesBeing BiracialThis week, Lilley interviews her friend Zahra about what it's like to be biracial. They also talk about what border identities are, explain micro-aggressions, code-switching, and offer some advice on how teenagers can help solve the issues surrounding biracial people.
Send Minor Issues a voice message about something you're interested in, to be featured in the podcast at anchor.fm/minorissues/message. Have a great week, everyone!
2020-07-1512 minMinor IssuesPandemic PlanetJoin Lilley and her friend Sam this week to learn more about how the pandemic is affecting our environment. Is it good or bad? How have the animals been affected? And of course, hear some advice on how teenagers can be more earth-conscious.
2020-07-0810 minMinor IssuesThe Criminal (In)Justice SystemThis week, Lilley talks with her friend Audrey, who interned at the ACLU, about the criminal justice system (and why it may not be so just). She speaks to some of the many flaws with the system; and shares helpful information about how teens can get involved, stay informed, and protect themselves when encountering police officers.
To learn more about the Mobile Justice app, where you can record incidents with police: https://www.aclu.org/issues/criminal-law-reform/reforming-police/aclu-apps-record-police-conduct
Have a great week!
2020-07-0115 minMinor IssuesSixteen in QuarantineThis week, Lilley talks with her friend Avonelle about turning sixteen in quarantine and how the pandemic is affecting our mental health. What are ways we can stay positive? How can we navigate the virus and stay connected with friends? And, how do we feel about going back to school in the fall? To learn more about Minor Issues, visit minorissues.carrd.co.
Song credit: The Blank Tapes, via Free Music Archive.
2020-06-2416 minMinor IssuesThe Economy and EqualityThis week, Lilley interviews her friend Emaline to learn about the mysteries of America's economy. How is the pandemic affecting our futures? Why is there such a large gap between the rich and the poor? Or between people of different races and genders? And of course, how can teenagers get involved? Don’t forget to visit exponentialvote.org!
2020-06-1712 minMinor IssuesBlack Lives MatterThis week, Lilley steps back, and lets some black friends debrief current events, talk about police brutality and racial injustices, and explain what it’s like to be black in America. To learn more about Minor Issues, visit our website minorissues.carrd.co.
2020-06-0914 minMinor IssuesWelcome to Minor IssuesMeet Lilley, the host, and learn the premise behind Minor Issues: the podcast made for younger generations.
2020-03-2700 min