Terry Gross

Father Gregory J. Boyle. He has been described as being "the priest who loves gangsters." Boyle is a pastor at the Dolores Mission Church in Los Angeles. The Church provides shelter for the women and children, a day care center, and an alternative high school. He provides support and guidance to young men in Latino gangs and shows them alternatives to their life of crime. His biography Father Greg and the Homeboys (Hyperion) was written by Celeste Fremon. (Originally aired 7/20/95)

Geoffrey Canada is a community activist in Harlem and author of Fist, Stick, Knife, Gun: A Personal History of Violence in America. It is published by Beacon Press 1995. Canada is President of Rheedlen Centers for Children and Families in Harlem. Through his work, Canada teaches children how to solve problems without using violence. Part of this approach is to teach martial arts to his kids. (Rebroadcast of 6/6/1995)

Rochelle & Anthony Yates. On July 18, 1988 the Yates' five year old son Marcus was killed in gun crossfire between two drug dealers fighting for turf in a corner store. There were 11 children in the store playing video games, two others were shot but survived, one of them was Marcus' six year old brother. Since the incident the Yates' have become activists against senseless violence; they lecture to high schools, take in foster children who have lost family members to violence, run a day care center and organize community activities to take back neighborhoods.

Irish actor/producer Gabriel Byrne. He got his big break playing a slick gangster in the Coen Brothers' "Miller's Crossing." One reviewer wrote, "a subtle yet forceful performance as an impassive man, concealing deep pain." BYRNE was the executive producer of "In the Name of the Father." He also starred in and produced the films "A Dangerous Woman," and "Into the West." Byrne appeared as Prof. Baer in the remake of "Little Women," directed by Gillian Armstrong. It's just come out on video.

Writer/Director/Producer Sam Raimi. He is best known for 1982's cult classic, "The Evil Dead," which Steven King called "the most ferociously original horror film of the year." His first big budget film, "The Quick and The Dead," starring Sharon Stone and Gene Hackman has just come out on video. It is a 90's western with a touch of humor. He also directed 1990's hit "Darkman." (REBROADCAST from 2/22/95)

Former Tuskegee Airman Robert Williams. He was with the Army Air Corps "Fighting 99th" the first squadron of Black fighter pilots in World War II. Now, after 45 years of trying he's gotten a studio interested in making a movie about the squadron. The new HBO movie, "The Tuskegee Airmen," stars Laurence Fishburne; Williams is the co-executive producer. The film debuts August 26th.

From the trio Yo La Tengo, singer/guitarist Ira Kaplan, and drummer Georgia Hubley. They are married. The band is a cult favorite and hails from Hoboken, New Jersey. They have seven albums to their credit including the latest, "Electr-o-pura" (on the Matador label). One reviewer says the band blends "fragile, delicate beauty with raw, bash-it-out crudeness better than anyone."

Professor of American Studies and History at the Univ. of Minnesota Elaine Tyler May. Her new book Barren in the Promised Land: Childless Americans and the Pursuit of Happiness (Basic) is said to be the first book to examine the history of childlessness in America in all its complexities, from infertility to forced sterilization to childfree by choice." MAY is the author three previous books including Great Expectations, and Homeward Bound. She has also written widely in the scholarly and popular press, including articles in The New York Times, and Los Angeles Times.

Neurologist William Langston. His work plunged him into a medical mystery, and a hot political controversy about the ethics of medicine. In 1982 Langston was called in to examine a number of "frozen" patients, young men and women in the San Francisco Bay Area who suddenly could neither move or speak, though conscious. Langston recognized the signs of Parkinson's disease, and determined that these patients had all used the same batch of tainted heroin. Langston prescribed L-dopa, a treatment for Parkinson's which only provided short-term relief.

Former longshoreman and Vice President of the Union local, Reg Theriault . For over 30 years he worked on the piers in San Francisco, where he watched automation take over the industry, and break up the gangs who worked together. Before that Theriault worked as a "fruit tramp" with his family. He has written a new book about work, How to Tell When You're Tired (Norton).