Student Protests
Hundreds have been arrested at student protests happening at colleges and universities across the country over the Israel Hamas war. Nine pro-Palestinian protesters were taken into custody at the University of Florida by law enforcement on Monday and have since been released. Demonstrations took place at UCF, Florida State, and USF as well. Representative Anna Eskamani joins Engage to discuss the student protests. We also asked the Orlando Democrat about other issues facing Central Floridians including rumblings of a special session to address immigration and the abortion amendment on the ballot in November.
Reporting Horse Deaths at Racetracks
The Kentucky Derby is affectionately referred to as the “Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports,” but last year’s Run for the Roses ended in horror as twelve horses died in the days before and after the race. This coupled with a spike in track deaths in recent years, led to Congress consolidating track safety policies in Lexington, Kentucky, with a non-profit organization called the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Authority. HISA oversees horse safety and manages anti-doping measures for tracks across the country including the two operating in Florida: Gulfstream Park outside of Miami and Tampa Bay Downs. While the idea of creating uniformity in racing safety rules was widely accepted as a step forward in creating accountability in the industry, critics have argued it simply created a layer of opacity and gaps in the reporting of horse deaths. Patrick Battuello is the Founder of Horseracing Wrongs, a non-profit with a mission of, “Ending the cruel and deadly horseracing industry in the United States.” He joins Engage to explain why he says Florida in particular ranks at the bottom of the nation for horse track death accountability. We also hear from the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Authority CEO Lisa Lazarus. HISA contends they are in fact filling the gaps in reporting and the inconsistencies being reported by Horse Racing Wrongs can be accounted for by the transition of duties from Florida’s Gaming Control Commission to HISA itself.
Orlando Musician Zoya Zafar
In 2015, Orlando resident Zoya Zafar began recording music as a teen. Her pared-down modern folk sound was reminiscent of Elliott Smith at his most relaxed with the ethereal vocals reminiscent of the Cocteau Twins’ Liz Frasier. Tomorrow, her first full length album, Some Songs, will be released. She traded her acoustic guitar up for a Fender Stratocaster and joins us in studio to talk about the release.
