LA Made: The Other Moonshot

Avsnitt

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  Imperfect Paradise: Who gets due process? Inside the fight over immigration bond hearings at Adelanto 24.07.2026 24min

  Immigration bond denials have jumped sharply under the second Trump administration — nowhere more than at the Adelanto ICE detention center in Southern California. On this week's Imperfect Paradise: LAist's Jared Bennett follows the case of a 70-year-old L.A. street vendor held at Adelanto for six months, what it took for his family to get him released, and what immigration advocates say is behind the shift in bond denials. Read Jared’s reporting on LAist.com.  Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/paradise Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.
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  The Other Moonshot - Part 1: Ignition Starts (Awards) 30.01.2026 45min

  In this first episode of "LA Made: The Other Moonshot": America aims for the moon. President John F. Kennedy stands proudly behind the mission to advance the country and welcomes a diverse team to get the job done. That team includes three Black engineers who have a studded background — Charlie Cheathem, Nathaniel LeVert and Shelby Jacobs. However, the three men quickly realize that social progress is slower than scientific advancement.
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  Part 4: The Landing 19.02.2025 43min

  In the final episode of "LA Made: The Other Moonshot": Despite several stopgaps and hiccups, the moon landing is a monumental success, although many Black Americans feel it’s come at a cost to their progress. The discrimination Charlie, Nate and Shelby  faced at work finally makes it into government hearings. And the trio today reflect on their contributions to the space race, expressing their sense of pride and wonder, as well as unresolved wounds from  their experiences.  "LA Made: The Other Moonshot" is a production of LAist Studios with Reasonable Volume, and the third season of the LA Made franchise.  Visit BetterHelp.com/moonshot to get 10% off your first month. The Other Moonshot is sponsored by BetterHelp. Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.
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  Part 3: Making an Impact 12.02.2025 40min

  In this episode of "LA Made: The Other Moonshot": The launch of Apollo 6. Nate and Charlie must choose how to respond when their work is undermined by superiors, leading to tense stand-offs. Meanwhile Shelby works on a project which will define his legacy — and our view of Earth.  Workplace pay disparities come to light, while the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. reveals tensions that the engineers can no longer ignore. "LA Made: The Other Moonshot" is a production of LAist Studios with Reasonable Volume, and the third season of the LA Made franchise.  Visit BetterHelp.com/moonshot to get 10% off your first month. The Other Moonshot is sponsored by BetterHelp. Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.
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  Part 2: Spring Loaded to Failure 05.02.2025 45min

  In this episode of "LA Made: The Other Moonshot": Were these three engineers set up to fail? The space race starts to hit debilitating roadblocks, and the Black aerospace engineers are beginning to feel the weight of the workplace — and the clock ticking. Shelby, Nate and Charlie develop different ways to cope with the pressure. A tragedy during an Apollo 1 flight simulation raises the stakes even further, while outside the company, racial tensions come to a head in nearby Watts. "LA Made: The Other Moonshot" is a production of LAist Studios with Reasonable Volume, and the third season of the LA Made franchise.  Visit BetterHelp.com/moonshot to get 10% off your first month. The Other Moonshot is sponsored by BetterHelp. Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.
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  Part 1: Ignition Starts 29.01.2025 45min

  In this first episode of "LA Made: The Other Moonshot": America aims for the moon. President John F. Kennedy stands proudly behind the mission to advance the country and welcomes a diverse team to get the job done. That team includes three Black engineers who have a studded background — Charlie Cheathem, Nathaniel LeVert and Shelby Jacobs. However, the three men quickly realize that social progress is slower than scientific advancement. "LA Made: The Other Moonshot" is a production of LAist Studios with Reasonable Volume, and the third season of the LA Made franchise.  Visit BetterHelp.com/moonshot to get 10% off your first month. Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.
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  Introducing LA Made: The Other Moonshot (Coming January 29) 22.01.2025 2min

  When Joanne Higgins was growing up in Compton in Los Angeles, she heard her godfather, Charlie Cheathem, tell stories about his key role in the Apollo mission to the moon. As an adult she realized that his experiences — and those of other Black engineers — had been left out of the history books. She set out to record for the first time the accounts of these men whose crucial contributions to the early days of the Apollo mission have been overlooked — or taken credit for by others — despite their ingenuity and determination. Find the first episode on January 29, wherever you get your podcasts."LA Made: The Other Moonshot" is a production of LAist Studios with Reasonable Volume, and the third season of the LA Made franchise. 
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  The Barbie Tapes: When Girls--and Barbie--Could Do Anything 20.07.2023 32min

  In this episode, Ruth and Elliot Handler are gone, and the new Mattel team, led by a man who feared the volatility of the toy business, diversified the company and made a big gamble on electronics. It didn’t work. Fortunately, Barbie ends up in the sure hands of some trailblazing women executives, who could see that the culture was moving in a direction very compatible with Barbie’s persona. From the workforce to the workout, Barbie was a doll of her times. This podcast is supported by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.
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  The Barbie Tapes: Battle of the Bulge 13.07.2023 32min

  For Barbie, the cultural upheaval of the 60s and 70s incites one identity crisis after another as Mattel tries to keep up with the times. On top of that, she has a new boyfriend to deal with. Ken's creation is a big hit for Barbie fans, but he’s facing a few growing pains of his own. In this episode, we investigate Ken's origin story, delve into the inner workings of Mattel, and hear how Barbie's inventor, Ruth Handler, was ousted from her own company. This podcast is supported by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.
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  The Barbie Tapes: A Toy is Born 06.07.2023 30min

  When Barbie arrives on the toy scene in 1959, her celebrity is instantaneous, and not just because of her controversial appearance. Worldwide, Barbie is still the best-selling doll of all time. But Barbie has always been more than just a doll - she's a cultural touchstone. From prototype to prestige, this episode kicks off the origin story of Barbie as told by her creators in their own words. This podcast is supported by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.
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  Introducing LA Made: The Barbie Tapes from LAist Studios 04.07.2023 1min

  Season 2 of “LA Made” tells the true story of the making and marketing of the most famous doll in the world, Barbie, told by the people who did it. We’ll hear from Mattel co-founder Ruth Handler, who spent years trying to convince her own company to make a teen aged fashion doll. From LAist Studios, “LA Made: The Barbie Tapes,” coming July 6, 2023. 
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  Special Feature: Pomona's Victor Glover Will Pilot NASA's 2024 Moon Mission 08.04.2023 11min

  It's been more than 50 years since an American has set foot on the moon, or even gotten close to it. But on Monday, NASA named the four astronauts who will crew the upcoming Artemis II mission. One of the astronauts selected, Victor Glover, a Southern Californian from Pomona graduated from Ontario High School in 1994 and went on to study engineering at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo before enlisting in the Navy in 1999 to become a pilot. Glover is the first African American assigned to a lunar mission and says of the experience, “This is well beyond my wildest dreams.”   Support LAist Studios podcasts by donating now at LAist.com/join  
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  Blood, Sweat & Rockets: Flights of Fancy in Southern California (Bonus Episode) 14.03.2023 25min

  What is it about gazing at the stars that inspires humans — including our very own Suicide Squad — to attempt the impossible? And what is it about sunny Southern California that inspires them to do it here? In this episode we find out.   Support LA Made: Blood, Sweat & Rockets by donating now at LAist.com/join
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  Blood, Sweat & Rockets: Inside JPL (Bonus Episode) 07.03.2023 23min

  We go inside the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and get a tour that’s not available to the public: watching technicians build spacecraft with Kobie Boykins, hanging out with Nagin Cox at the Mars Yard, and demystifying a campus famous for its secrecy.
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  Blood, Sweat & Rockets: The Legacy of Frank Malina 28.02.2023 22min

  Frank Malina’s legacy has often been eclipsed by flashier figures in American aerospace (like Jack Parsons and Werner Von Braun). But in this episode, we’ll show how Malina’s work paved the way for modern spaceflight — and the future missions of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
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  Blood, Sweat & Rockets: The Explosive Demise of Jack Parsons 21.02.2023 27min

  When Jack Parsons dies in an explosion, conspiracy theories foment. Was it murder by a disgruntled ex-cop? Assassination by the US government? In this episode we wrestle to make sense of both the circumstances surrounding Parsons' death and the legacy he left behind.
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  Blood, Sweat & Rockets: Operation Paperclip 14.02.2023 30min

  After WWII, the U.S. hired and promoted Nazi aerospace engineers in a program called Operation Paperclip — yet it drove away its own rocketeers, Malina and Tsien, for alleged communist activity. In this episode, we unpack that paradox.
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  Blood, Sweat & Rockets: The Curse of Tsien 07.02.2023 28min

  While Frank Malina escaped the worst of the FBI's treatment, Suicide Squad member Tsien Hsue-Shen was not so lucky. This episode chronicles the shocking story of how the United States wound up losing one of its most brilliant minds in rocketry to China. 
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  Blood, Sweat & Rockets: Lucky Break 31.01.2023 25min

  Malina leaves behind military work and brings his idealism to a new life and a new organization: UNESCO, in Paris. Back in the US, the FBI fumes, arrests Sidney Weinbaum, and makes every attempt to extradite Frank Malina.
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  Blood, Sweat & Rockets: Seeing Red 24.01.2023 30min

  Horrified that his new rocket design will become the vehicle for a nuclear warhead, Malina leaves JPL… just in time for the Red Scare to ramp up. Malina flees to France, but the FBI is hot on his trail. And one of Malina’s former Aerojet colleagues seems more than happy to tell them about Malina’s communist past.