Jesse King
Host, 51%Jesse King is the host of WAMC's national program on women's issues, 51%.
A graduate of SUNY Oneonta and CUNY's Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, King first joined the WAMC newsroom as an intern in September 2018. She went on to serve as a producer, reporter, and Hudson Valley Bureau Chief. In addition to 51%, she has also produced episodes of the WAMC podcast A New York Minute In History. Jesse grew up an avid writer and radio-nerd in Apalachin, New York, and spent her college years managing WONY 90.9 FM and interning with Phoenix FM in Dublin, Ireland. She holds a B.A. in Music Industry and Mass Communications, an M.A. in Health and Science Journalism, and plays the fiddle in her free time.
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On this week’s 51%, WAMC’s Sarah LaDuke speaks with actress and comedian Cecily Strong about her role in the new off-Broadway production of What Happened Was… in New York City. We also chat with writer Lori Carlson-Hijuelos, wife of the late Pulitzer Prize-winning author Oscar Hijuelos, about how they supported and pushed each other creatively during their 15-year marriage. WAMC’s Sajina Shrestha also meets an up-and-coming Albany, New York band showcasing the softer center of the hardcore rock scene. -
On this week’s 51%, WAMC’s Sarah LaDuke speaks with actress and comedian Cecily Strong about her role in the new off-Broadway production of What Happened Was… in New York City. We also chat with writer Lori Carlson-Hijuelos, wife of the late Pulitzer Prize-winning author Oscar Hijuelos, about how they supported and pushed each other creatively during their 15-year marriage. WAMC’s Sajina Shrestha also meets an up-and-coming Albany, New York band showcasing the softer center of the hardcore rock scene.
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On this week’s 51%, we recognize Sexual Assault Awareness Month and speak with the head of the Texas Advocacy Project, an organization offering legal support and safety planning for survivors of dating and domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, and human trafficking. CEO Heather Bellino says it is critical for survivors to know their rights and have access to support that still allows them to take the lead on how they want to move forward. WAMC’s Josh Landes also details a bill in Massachusetts aimed at closing loopholes around age of consent that currently shield teachers from facing legal consequences for sexual misconduct with students in their care. -
On this week’s 51%, we recognize Sexual Assault Awareness Month and speak with the head of the Texas Advocacy Project, an organization offering legal support and safety planning for survivors of dating and domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, and human trafficking. CEO Heather Bellino says it is critical for survivors to know their rights and have access to support that still allows them to take the lead on how they want to move forward. WAMC’s Josh Landes also details a bill in Massachusetts aimed at closing loopholes around age of consent that currently shield teachers from facing legal consequences for sexual misconduct with students in their care.
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The Supreme Court has struck down a ban on conversion therapy in Colorado, deciding the law violated the First Amendment protecting free speech. On this week’s 51%, we chat with Albany Law School’s Vin Bonventre about why the Supreme Court ruled the way it did, and what this means for similar bans in other states, including New York. WAMC’s Elias Guerra also speaks with a woman working to start the first Black trans-owned bookstore in New York’s Hudson Valley. -
The Supreme Court has struck down a ban on conversion therapy in Colorado, deciding the law violated the First Amendment protecting free speech. On this week’s 51%, we chat with Albany Law School’s Vin Bonventre about why the Supreme Court ruled the way it did, and what this means for similar bans in other states, including New York. WAMC’s Elias Guerra also speaks with a woman working to start the first Black trans-owned bookstore in New York’s Hudson Valley.
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It wasn't until the passage of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act in 1974 that women gained the right to open bank accounts, credit cards, and loans in their own names, without a male co-signer. On this week's 51%, we speak with Kathleen Godfrey, CEO of Godfrey Financial Associates, about how women's financial independence has evolved over the past 50-plus years, and what women can do now to secure themselves for the future. We also meet the new head of the Susan B. Anthony Museum & House in Rochester, New York. -
It wasn't until the passage of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act in 1974 that women gained the right to open bank accounts, credit cards, and loans in their own names, without a male co-signer. On this week's 51%, we speak with Kathleen Godfrey, CEO of Godfrey Financial Associates, about how women's financial independence has evolved over the past 50-plus years, and what women can do now to secure themselves for the future. We also meet the new head of the Susan B. Anthony Museum & House in Rochester, New York.
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On this week's 51%, we recognize Endometriosis Awareness Month and speak with Dr. Gabriela Aguilar, medical director of Planned Parenthood of Greater New York. Endometriosis is a painful and complex inflammatory disease impacting roughly 1 in 10 women worldwide. Despite how common it is, very little is still known about endometriosis, and too often patients report years of pain before getting an official diagnosis. Aguilar is a board-certified OB/GYN and complex family planning specialist in New York City. -
On this week's 51%, we recognize Endometriosis Awareness Month and speak with Dr. Gabriela Aguilar, medical director of Planned Parenthood of Greater New York. Endometriosis is a painful and complex inflammatory disease impacting roughly 1 in 10 women worldwide. Despite how common it is, very little is still known about endometriosis, and too often patients report years of pain before getting an official diagnosis. Aguilar is a board-certified OB/GYN and complex family planning specialist in New York City.
