logo
episode-header-image
Nov 2021
22m 58s

Ritchie Torres: Is America ready to embr...

Bbc World Service
About this episode

Stephen Sackur is in the south Bronx, New York, to speak to Ritchie Torres, a rising star of the Democratic Party. He is the first gay black man elected to Congress, and a vocal champion for the poorest district in the country. Is America as a whole ready to embrace progressive politics?

Up next
Jul 7
Steve Hilton: Brit running for California governor
“I'm a proud American. I became a citizen in 2021. I feel at home here both in America and actually, in a way I actually have never felt before. I feel like this is where I'm meant to be, and I couldn't be more honoured that people now are putting their faith in me to turn the st ... Show More
23m 1s
Jul 5
Victor Glover, astronaut: We went into sci-fi
“The last thing to come into view was this blue glow, and we could see craters and the surface of the Moon. But the Sun is on the other side, so what was lighting the Moon? It was ‘Earthshine’, the light of the Earth reflecting off the near side of the Moon. I don’t think our bra ... Show More
23 m
Jul 2
Jackie Jantos, Hinge CEO: Gen Z struggle to connect
Sean Farrington speaks to Jackie Jantos, CEO of popular mobile dating app Hinge, about finding romance in today’s rapidly-changing digital world.Launched back in 2013, US-based Hinge has steadily grown to become one of the world’s biggest mobile dating apps. As of 2025, there wer ... Show More
23 m
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2024
Seth Moulton & Ritchie Torres: What Dems Can (Must) Learn From 2024
John is joined by two up-and-coming Democratic congressmen—Seth Moulton, of the North Shore of Massachusetts, and Ritchie Torres, of the Bronx—to discuss what went wrong for Democrats in 2024. Moulton and Torres have little in common besides their relative youth; Moulton, 46, is ... Show More
1h 14m
Apr 2019
Vote with pride: LGBT politicians
Chicago votes for a new mayor today. Either way it will become the largest American city run by an African-American woman, but it may also get another openly gay mayor. We examine America’s proliferation of LGBT candidates. Mark Zuckerberg’s open letter calling for more regulatio ... Show More
20m 33s
Jul 2022
The US’s first gay election candidate
In 1961 the first openly gay person ran for public office in the United States. He was called Jose Sarria and he was a drag queen. He was determined that gay people would no longer be second-class citizens and paved the way for future openly gay candidates, such as Harvey Milk. J ... Show More
10m 10s
Feb 2024
Rep. Ritchie Torres - The Loss of Moral Common Sense
Donny sits down with the U.S. representative for New York's 15th congressional district, Ritchie Torres. In this conversation, Torres gives his thoughts on the Israel-Hamas war, the differences between Republicans and Democrats when it comes to Israel, and the divide between the ... Show More
26m 35s
Mar 2021
Maybe You Should Run For Office?
U.S. politics are starting to look a little bit more like the United States itself. More queer people, women, and POCs. People who have never worked in politics before, have no corporate backers and are running campaigns out of their kitchen. So, what about you, or your friends? ... Show More
39m 2s
Dec 2020
No one gave Ritchie Torres a shot. He'll soon be the first gay, Afro-Latino member of Congress.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee didn’t support him. The local Democratic Party didn’t support him. AOC didn’t endorse him. So Ritchie Torres of the South Bronx will arrive in Washington as a free man politically. 
34m 48s
Feb 2025
'The Interview': Senator Ruben Gallego on the Democrats’ Problem: ‘We’re Always Afraid’
The Arizona lawmaker diagnoses what he thinks needs to change in the way his party communicates with men, Latinos and Trump voters. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nyti ... Show More
37m 47s
Jun 2024
10. Is Biden really losing Hispanic and Black voters?
Why are Black and Hispanic voters increasingly warming to Donald Trump? How will Trump and Biden prepare for their first debate? What is Biden’s plan to give legal status to 500,000 undocumented spouses? Join Katty Kay and Anthony Scaramucci as they answer all these questions an ... Show More
43m 20s
Jun 2024
271. TRIP US: Biden really losing Hispanic and Black voters?
Why are Black and Hispanic voters increasingly warming to Donald Trump? How will Trump and Biden prepare for their first debate? What is Biden’s plan to give legal status to 500,000 undocumented spouses? Join Katty Kay and Anthony Scaramucci as they answer all these questions an ... Show More
43m 20s
Jun 2021
Pride and Politics
As Pride month comes to a close, President Biden has a chance to lead the most pro-LGBTQ administration ever... but politics may offer some hurdles. David Chalian explains the history of Pride month celebrations, this administration’s LGBTQ achievements so far, and how Senate pol ... Show More
10m 17s