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Fresh Air Weekend: 'Failed Child Star' Tamara Yajia; Novelist/doula Leila Mottley

Leila Mottley is the author of Nightcrawling and The Girls Who Grew Big.
Leila Mottley
Leila Mottley is the author of Nightcrawling and The Girls Who Grew Big.

Fresh Air Weekend highlights some of the best interviews and reviews from past weeks, as well as new program elements specially paced for weekends. Our weekend show emphasizes interviews with writers, filmmakers, actors and musicians, and it often includes excerpts from live in-studio concerts. This week:

A "Failed Child Star" looks back on life in Argentina and Hollywood: Tamara Yajia grew up Jewish in Argentina, intent on becoming a child star. But just when her break was coming along, her family emigrated to California. Her new memoir is Cry for Me, Argentina.

Dear Ms. documentary tells the story of the groundbreaking feminist magazine: HBO's new documentary is divided into three parts, each focusing on a different aspect of Ms. Taken together, the film captures what made the magazine and its contents so unusual and meaningful.

A young novelist takes on misconceptions about teen moms in The Girls Who Grew Big: Mottley's latest novel follows three young women as they navigate pregnancy and motherhood in a small town in Florida. She sees the novel as an extension of her work as a doula.

You can listen to the original interviews here:

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The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.