Decoded
Why Racism Isn't Just a Southern Problem
Season 3 E 9 • 06/29/2016
Franchesca introduces three methods by which racism was maintained in the Nothern and Western U.S., not just in the South, including the creation of sundown towns and redlining.

Watching

Full Ep
02:15
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S1 • E2
iC50: The Perfect Phone For The Whole (Black) Family
Introducing the IC50: a cell phone catering to Black people that helps fight institutional racism by filming police brutality.
06/10/2015
Full Ep
02:32
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S1 • E3
Does Race Affect Your Dating Life?
Franchesca investigates the personal psychology and internal bias of online dating.
06/10/2015
Full Ep
02:45
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S1 • E4
13 Things White People Take for Granted
Franchesca questions the widespread practice of race-neutral marketing, from nude-color clothing and white faces on money to the absence of BIPOC characters in Hollywood films.
06/24/2015
Full Ep
04:26
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S1 • E5
How Do You Handle Racist Jokes?
Franchesca explores how racist jokes are oppressive and shares ways to effectively disarm a person telling an offensive joke.
07/01/2015
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02:34
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S1 • E6
Was That Racist?: An "Inside Out" Parody
Francesca checks in with her Shade, Weariness, Fury, Paranoia and Hope when she faces racial microaggressions from a barista at a coffee shop.
07/08/2015
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05:19
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S1 • E7
10 Excuses Used to Deny Racism Debunked
Franchesca reviews 10 common excuses used by people trying to justify their racist behavior.
07/15/2015
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02:33
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S1 • E8
What If White People Experienced Microaggressions
Franchesca explores scenarios in which BIPOC experience microaggressions and inadvertent insults that stereotype them.
07/22/2015
Full Ep
02:41
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S1 • E9
If Famous Movie Characters Were Black
Decoded reimagines famous Hollywood movies with Black people as the lead characters to show the double standards they're held to in society.
08/05/2015
Full Ep
02:24
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S1 • E11
Did Hollywood Whitewash Stonewall?
Trans women were at the forefront of the LGBT civil rights movement, so Franchesca wonders why they've been whitewashed from the Hollywood movie about the Stonewall riots.
08/06/2015
Full Ep
02:54
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S1 • E10
Five Things You Should Know About Racism
Franchesca gets down to the nitty-gritty about racism and its constructs, and encourages folks to learn from experts in the field how racism functions in society.
08/12/2015
Full Ep
02:51
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S1 • E13
Greatest Moments in Not Racist History
Franchesca thanks you for shutting down racism by revisiting some great moments in not-racist hostory.
08/20/2015
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04:05
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S1 • E12
Should All Native American Mascots Be Banned?
Franchesca checks in with Native American hip-hop artist Nataanii Means about sports teams appropriating indigenous culture for their mascots.
08/26/2015
Full Ep
02:40
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S2 • E1
Every Racist Thing Donald Trump Has Said (Almost)
Franchesca revisits some of Donald Trump's most incendiary and racist commentary from his speeches.
09/30/2015
Full Ep
04:52
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S2 • E2
Six Phrases with Surprisingly Racist Origins
Franchesca reveals the racist origins of everyday phrases along with other problematic words still in use.
10/07/2015
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02:46
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S2 • E3
Can You Name Seven Superheroes of Color?
Franchesca heads to New York City for Comic-Con to interview attendees about representation and ask them why there aren't more BIPOC superheroes.
10/14/2015
Full Ep
03:01
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S2 • E4
12 Racist Halloween Costumes for Kids
Franchesca and her team of comedians examine a host of racially insensitive costumes based on stereotypes and racial profiling from around the globe.
10/21/2015
Full Ep
04:13
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S2 • E5
Five Reasons Student Loans are Bulls**t
Franchesca teams up with special guest Ben O'Keefe to shed some light on student debt and what to do about it.
10/28/2015
Full Ep
02:29
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S2 • E6
White People Whitesplain Whitesplaining
Franchesca is bombarded by whitesplainers.
11/04/2015
Full Ep
05:05
Decoded
S2 • E7
Seven Myths About Cultural Appropriation Debunked
Franchesca attempts to lay out exactly what defines cultural appropriation and dispel some of the myths about the subject.
11/11/2015
Full Ep
03:03
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S2 • E8
Everything You Know About Thanksgiving Is Wrong
Franchesca works through the truths of Thanksgiving, from common myths about Native Americans and Pilgrims to the likely menu items served in 1621.
11/18/2015
Full Ep
05:09
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S2 • E9
Why Do You Think Stereotypes Are True?
Francesca introduces social conditioning as a factor in biased thinking and breaks down the causes and consequences of stereotyping.
12/02/2015
Full Ep
02:17
Decoded
S2 • E10
Where Are You Really From?
Franchesca is offended during a coffee date when she is asked where she's from.
12/09/2015
Full Ep
05:56
Decoded
S2 • E11
What Did Jesus Really Look Like?
Franchesca looks at the reasons behind the whitewashing of modern-day Jesus and shows what he may have actually looked like.
12/16/2015
Full Ep
02:49
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S2 • E12
Social Justice Warrior Training Video Leaked
Franchesca trains her social justice warriors to be ready for combat on the front lines in the fight against ignorance and structural racism.
01/06/2016
Full Ep
04:10
Decoded
S2 • E13
Why Does Privilege Make People So Angry?
Franchesca explains why bringing attention to someone's privilege shouldn't be read as a personal attack and why discussing privilege isn't placing blame, but is raising awareness.
01/13/2016
Full Ep
02:18
Decoded
S2 • E14
You Can't Sound White
Franchesca defines the three-word statement "you sound white" as a back-handed compliment.
01/20/2016
Full Ep
04:36
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S2 • E15
Is PC Culture Anti-Free Speech?
Franchesca argues PC culture speaks out against discrimination and has nothing to do with stripping others of their own voices or opinions.
01/27/2016
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03:15
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S2 • E16
A World Without Black History
Franchesca champions Black History Month as a time to spread awareness of a vibrant cultural past.
02/03/2016
Full Ep
04:05
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S2 • E17
Are the Primaries Racist?
Because Iowa and New Hampshire are two of the whitest states in the U.S., the presidential primary is criticized for stifling BIPOC voices, so Francheca suggests a workaround.
02/10/2016
Full Ep
03:07
Decoded
S2 • E19
Beyonce "Formation" Comment or MLK Hate Mail?
Franchesca tests people on the street to see if they can spot the difference between hateful messages directed at Beyonce's "Formation" music video or Martin Luther King Jr. from the 1960s.
02/18/2016
Full Ep
04:39
Decoded
S2 • E18
Four Reasons White Pride Makes People Uneasy
Franchesca breaks down why it's problematic to celebrate white pride and why it's important to understand its background.
02/24/2016
Full Ep
03:34
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S2 • E20
If You Farted Every Time You Were Racist
Franchesca wonders what the world would be like if people farted every time they were racist.
03/09/2016
Full Ep
05:28
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S2 • E21
Why Is the 1% So White?
Franchesca investigates why there's such a stark racial divide between white and Black billionaires in the U.S.
03/16/2016
Full Ep
02:53
Decoded
S2 • E22
12 Trump Business Fails
From board games to airlines, Franchesca analyzes 12 of Donald Trump's biggest business fails.
03/23/2016
Full Ep
04:48
Decoded
S2 • E23
Five Countries (Besides America) with Race Issues
Franchesca argues criticism of the United States' racism is justified, but the rest of the world can and should also be held accountable for ethnic prejudices.
03/30/2016
Full Ep
02:58
Decoded
S2 • E24
Stop Blaming Affirmative Action for Your College Rejection
Franchesca examines one of the biggest myths of affirmative action: that it blocks college admittance from those who "deserve" it more.
04/06/2016
Full Ep
04:12
Decoded
S3 • E1
The Surprisingly Racist History of "Caucasian"
Franchesca dives into the racist history of the word "Caucasian" and argues it is outdated.
04/27/2016
Full Ep
03:41
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S3 • E2
If Facebook Arguments Were a Cage Match
Franchesca brings to life confrontational Facebook comments about social justice issues by reimagining the commentary as a cage fight between family members.
05/04/2016
Full Ep
05:16
Decoded
S3 • E3
Three Black Female Stereotypes That Need to Die
Franchescha shows how slaveholders and Jim Crow laws created and perpetuated stereotypes of Black women well into the 20th century.
05/11/2016
Full Ep
03:53
Decoded
S3 • E4
The Problem with White Beauty Standards
Franchesca and female BIPOC guests from different backgrounds share why representation in media matters and why shifting Western beauty standards to be more inclusive is critical.
05/18/2016
Full Ep
05:53
Decoded
S3 • E5
The Weird History of Asian Sex Stereotypes
Franchesca examines the ways institutional racism created stereotypes about Asian women and men that persist today in Western media and Hollywood.
05/25/2016
Full Ep
02:44
Decoded
S3 • E6
Unpaid Internships: A Horror Movie Trailer
Decoded follows a fictional intern of a company that justifies its policy of not paying interns by touting the "experience" they'll gain on the job.
06/01/2016
Full Ep
05:29
Decoded
S3 • E7
Why Color Blindness Will Not End Racism
Franchesca shows how "color blindness" is harmful and how BIPOC suffer disproportionately in education, real estate and employment.
06/08/2016
Full Ep
03:34
Decoded
S3 • E8
Social Justice Rap Battle featuring The Key of Awesome
Franchesca hosts a mock rap battle to show what would happen if people got hype for challenging each other to be better people.
06/22/2016
Full Ep
04:21
Decoded
S3 • E9
Why Racism Isn't Just a Southern Problem
Franchesca introduces three methods by which racism was maintained in the Nothern and Western U.S., not just in the South, including the creation of sundown towns and redlining.
06/29/2016
Full Ep
03:52
Decoded
S3 • E10
Can You Guess Who's Muslim? featuring Karim Metwaly
Hollywood and the news might make you believe Muslims have a particular look, so Decoded hits the street to address preconceptions about who is and isn't Muslim.
07/06/2016
Full Ep
04:02
Decoded
S3 • E11
Four Black Lives Matter Myths Debunked
Franchesca offers rebuttals to four frequent arguments against Black Lives Matter activists.
07/14/2016
Full Ep
04:49
Decoded
S3 • E12
When Did You Realize Your Race?
Franchesca and friends recall when they became aware of their races.
07/20/2016
Full Ep
05:00
Decoded
S4 • E1
Five Excuses for Slavery That Need to Stop
Franchesca digs into some of the excuses for slavery, including Bill O'Reilly's quip that it wasn't "so bad."
08/17/2016
Full Ep
05:52
Decoded
S4 • E2
Are Hispanics White?
Franchesca enlists Kat Lazo to help break down the difference between "Hispanic" and "Latino" leading up to the 2020 U.S. census.
08/24/2016
Full Ep
03:39
Decoded
S4 • E3
Five Ethnic Stereotypes That Used to Be the Opposite
Franchesca's crew of comedians reacts to some of the quotes and ideas historical racists came up with about Irish, German and other people.
08/31/2016
Full Ep
04:59
Decoded
S4 • E4
Are "Cracker," "White Trash" and "Redneck" Racist?
Franchesca examines three pejorative names for white people and shows how these terms have been racialized but are not racist.
09/07/2016
Full Ep
02:22
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S4 • E5
A Retirement Home for Trump Supporters
Franchesca pitches Simpler Times Retirement Home, the perfect place for aging Americans who are longing for a return to simpler -- or racist -- times.
09/21/2016
Full Ep
05:59
Decoded
S4 • E6
How Voter ID Laws Explain Structural Racism
Franchesca reveals the racist history of voter ID laws, which have primarily prevented the poor, the elderly and BIPOC from voting.
10/05/2016
Full Ep
03:52
Decoded
S4 • E7
Just Try Saying My Name Right
Decoded talks to people who have firsthand experience with strangers butchering their names, which actually aren't that complicated.
10/12/2016
Full Ep
06:17
Decoded
S4 • E8
Four Misconceptions About Anti-Semitism and the Holocaust
With the help of journalist Dana Schwartz, Decoded tackles some of the biggest misconceptions about anti-Semitism, anti-Romanyism and the Holocaust.
10/19/2016
Full Ep
05:50
Decoded
S4 • E9
Is Racist the N-Word for White People?
Decoded uses stand-up comedy to figure out why some white people are triggered by being called racist.
10/26/2016
Full Ep
05:15
Decoded
S4 • E10
Why Does MTV Decoded Hate White People?
Franchesca cites Dr. Robin DiAngelo's book "White Fragility" as she talks about what's at the core of discussing racism.
11/03/2016
Full Ep
04:45
Decoded
S4 • E11
Can De-Escalation Training Prevent Police Violence?
Franchesca sits down with Master Sergeant Benari Poulten to talk about how the U.S. Armed Forces trains and employs de-escalation techniques to handle difficult situations during conflict.
11/10/2016
Full Ep
05:05
Decoded
S4 • E12
Do You Speak for Your Entire Race?
Franchesca presents the idea of the race ambassador, someone from a specific cultural background who is expected to represent and speak for the entire culture in question.
11/16/2016
Full Ep
02:21
Decoded
S5 • E1
Do These Celebs Look Alike?
Franchesca examines the concept of "own race bias" in the context of regularly mistaken identities of celebrity BIPOC.
04/05/2017
Full Ep
04:55
Decoded
S5 • E2
Why Legal Immigration to the U.S. Is Almost Impossible
Franchesca learns about the incredibly complicated process to becoming a U.S. citizen.
04/12/2017
Full Ep
02:03
Decoded
S5 • E3
Can Legalizing Weed Fight Racism?
Franchesca explores the racist marijuana arrest patterns disproportionately affecting BIPOC in U.S. states where weed is legal and states where it is illegal.
04/20/2017
Full Ep
03:51
Decoded
S5 • E4
The Strange and Gross Origin of Cuck
Franchesca traces the development of the word cuck, from Shakespeare to forums like Reddit, on which it's used by the radical right as a catchall insult.
04/26/2017
Full Ep
03:40
Decoded
S5 • E5
Three Cinco de Mayo Misconceptions Debunked
Kat explains why it's more American than Mexican to celebrate Cinco de Mayo by drinking margaritas and loading up on nachos.
05/03/2017
Full Ep
04:38
Decoded
S5 • E6
Five Poverty Myths Debunked featuring The Liberal Redneck
Franchesca busts five common myths about poverty with the help of Trae Crowder a.k.a. The Liberal Redneck.
05/10/2017
Full Ep
05:56
Decoded
S5 • E7
How to Be Queer AF at Prom featuring Dylan Marron
Franchesca and Dylan Marron explain what rights are available to LGBTQ youth who want to attend prom together.
05/17/2017
Full Ep
04:59
Decoded
S5 • E8
Five Mental Health Stigmas That Need to Go
Franchesca tackles mental health misinformation, such as love being a solution for depression or that there is no cure for mental health issues.
05/24/2017
Full Ep
01:45
Decoded
S5 • E9
Would You Date a Short Guy?
Franchesca explores heightism as it relates to success, gender norms and Hollywood with her friend Tyler, who's been rejected on dating apps because of his height.
06/07/2017
Full Ep
05:00
Decoded
S5 • E10
Five Transgender Tropes That Need to Stop ft. Patti Harrison
Franchesca reviews some common Hollywood tropes and stereotypes.
06/14/2017
Full Ep
04:21
Decoded
S5 • E11
What’s a Real Man?
Franchesca and friends try to unpack what it means to be a "real man."
06/21/2017
Full Ep
04:28
Decoded
S5 • E12
How to Stop Victim Blaming
Franchesca looks into the psychology of victim blaming, why it happens so often and why it's often used against victims of sexual assault.
06/28/2017
Full Ep
05:24
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S6 • E1
Why Do People Say "Ax" Instead of "Ask?"
Franchesca explores why pronouncing the word ask as "ax" is pejoratively associated with Black and working-class people.
01/04/2018
Full Ep
06:22
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S6 • E2
Do All Muslim Women Wear a Hijab? featuring Fareeha Khan
Franchesca tasks Fareeha Khan with explaining the Muslim tradition of wearing a hijab.
01/11/2018
Full Ep
05:38
Decoded
S6 • E3
Will Multiracial Kids End Racism?
Franchesca explains why ending racism is going to be more complicated than welcoming a new generation of multiracial babies.
01/18/2018
Full Ep
04:52
Decoded
S6 • E4
Are Your Choices Instinct or Influence?
Raymond Braun helps Franchesca understand how cigarette companies have found ways to influence low-income communities to smoke.
01/24/2018
Full Ep
05:40
Decoded
S6 • E5
Four Black Hair Myths Debunked
Franchesca presents a FAQ about Black hair, introduces common Black hairstyles and reveals misconceptions people of other races have about Black hair.
02/01/2018
Full Ep
05:37
Decoded
S6 • E6
Racism in Gay Dating? featuring Dylan Marron
Dylan Marron shows how "preferences" are often used to mask discrimination in the world of gay dating apps and LGBTQ relationships.
02/08/2018
Full Ep
06:23
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S6 • E7
How Hollywood Misrepresents the Working Class ft. Gabe G.
Gabe Gonzalez talks about the importance of accurately depicting middle- and working-class people in the media.
02/15/2018
Full Ep
05:21
Decoded
S6 • E8
Colorism in the Latinx Community featuring Lee Chin
Franchesca enlists Lee Chin to break down colorism, a form of discrimination based on skin color in Latin America and the Latinx community in the U.S.
02/22/2018
Full Ep
05:46
Decoded
S6 • E9
Are Mexicans Taking Our Jobs? featuring Maritza Montanez
Maritza Montanez shares what kinds of work undocumented immigrants do in the U.S. and debunks the racist notion Mexicans steal existing jobs from Americans.
03/01/2018
Full Ep
05:18
Decoded
S6 • E10
Are All Asians Rich? featuring Lily Du
Lily Du topples the myth of the model minority.
03/08/2018
Full Ep
06:30
Decoded
S6 • E11
Can You Choose Your Own Pronouns? featuring Patti Harrison
Guest Patti Harrison explores gender pronouns, and why asking and using someone's preferred pronouns is a sign of respect.
03/14/2018
Full Ep
07:14
Decoded
S7 • E1
Four Reasons School Dress Codes Are Sexist
Franchesca explains how dress code enforcement at school disproportionately affects girls, polices their bodies and unfairly limits their wardrobe choices.
10/18/2018
Full Ep
06:12
Decoded
S7 • E2
Why Are There So Few Asians in Hollywood?
Guests Lily Du and Fareeha Khan examine Hollywood's justification for Asian erasure in big-budget movies and posit diversity in film would be a boon for Hollywood.
10/18/2018
Full Ep
06:01
Decoded
S7 • E3
Five Phrases Disabled People Are Tired Of
Guest Danielle Perez reviews offensive comments made about people with disabilities.
11/01/2018
Full Ep
06:30
Decoded
S7 • E4
Why Don't Straight Men Hold Hands?
Guest host Kenny and Franchesca break down homophobic ideas about intimacy and show intimacy between men is not only instinctual, but has mental health benefits.
11/08/2018
Full Ep
07:11
Decoded
S7 • E5
Where Does the "Fiery Latinx" Stereotype Come From?
Joanna Hausmann breaks down the history of a Latinx stereotype, from one-dimensional roles in 1920s Hollywood to Sofia Vergara's character on "Modern Family."
11/15/2018
Full Ep
05:30
Decoded
S7 • E6
Can You Sound Gay?
Gabe Gonzalez examines three speech characteristics perceived as inherent in gay men that instead they widely embrace.
11/22/2018
Full Ep
06:17
Decoded
S7 • E7
The Virginity Double Standard
Franchesca concludes the viginity double standard serves no one and oversexualizing women -- and men -- reduces them into objects.
11/29/2018
Full Ep
05:22
Decoded
S7 • E8
Five Asexuality Myths Debunked
Ricky Dillon explores misconceptions about asexual people.
12/12/2018
Full Ep
04:43
Decoded
S7 • E9
Three Reasons Being Called Exotic Is Not a Compliment
Franchesca explains why describing female BIPOC as exotic reinforces white beauty standards.
12/19/2018
Full Ep
05:57
Decoded
S7 • E10
Are Drag Queens Trans?
Peppermint explains the differences between drag queens and trans women.
01/09/2019
Full Ep
04:31
Decoded
S7 • E11
The History of Cholo
Veronica Garza shares the origins of the word "cholo" and how a word meant to be an insult was transformed into a look, attitude and cultural movement.
01/16/2019
Full Ep
04:32
Decoded
S7 • E12
Light-Skinned Privilege
Franchesca breaks down the concept of colorism as it exists within racism and explains how light-skinned Black women have had skin color privilege throughout history.
01/23/2019
Full Ep
07:47
Decoded
S8 • E1
Why It's Not About Good Cops vs. Bad Cops
Franchesca Ramsey breaks down the myth of the good cop and why the idea fails to address the systemic problems with policing.
07/21/2020
Full Ep
07:46
Decoded
S8 • E2
Why Prosecuting Police Is Almost Impossible
Franchesca Ramsey discusses qualified immunity and examines how police officers can call the court system for backup after they've killed or harmed someone
07/28/2020
Full Ep
07:09
Decoded
S8 • E3
Three Hollywood Myths About Police
Franchesca Ramsey discusses copaganda, myths Hollywood reinforces about policing and how the defund-the-police movement could help solve societal problems.
08/04/2020
Full Ep
07:16
Decoded
S8 • E4
The Racist Origins of Police
Franchesca Ramsey looks at the history of policing and the institutions that provided a blueprint for modern law enforcement.
08/11/2020
Full Ep
08:06
Decoded
S8 • E5
The War on Drugs Is a Lie
Franchesca Ramsey breaks down the history and falsehoods behind the war on drugs and explains how it has fueled some of the worst aspects of modern policing.
08/18/2020
Full Ep
08:20
Decoded
S8 • E6
How to Defund the Police
Franchesca Ramsey explains how reallocating police funds to community programs will save taxpayers money and allow specialists to handle situations police officers are not equipped for.
08/25/2020
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