Patagonia has long taken activist stances to encourage what the company says is a new brand of capitalism. Ryan Gellert, CEO of Patagonia, joins us. And, Ry Russo-Young talks about her new documentary series "Nuclear Family," which looks at the lawsuit that threatened to break up her two-mom family in the early 1990s.

Do you have dental anxiety — or even dental phobia? You're not alone. Clinical psychologist Lisa Heaton studies the fear of the dentist and joins us to discuss. And, some of the biggest companies in the U.S. are promising to hire and train refugees from Afghanistan. Amazon, Uber, UPS and Pfizer are among 33 companies that have made the pledge. Chobani CEO Hamdi Ulukaya talks about the coalition.

NPR Books' Petra Mayer shares a bunch of book recommendations with us. And, Pfizer-BioNTech announced that its COVID-19 vaccine for kids ages 5 to 11 is safe and effective. Yet even for parents excited about it, the shots can be daunting. Maggie and Pierce Sandwith's 2-year-old daughter Caroline got the Moderna vaccine, both to protect her and her 4-year-old sister Louise who is being treated for leukemia.

Germans vote Sunday for a new parliament and government, and longtime Chancellor Angela Merkel plans to step down when a new government is formed. Loveday Morris, Berlin bureau chief at The Washington Post, explains Merkel's legacy. And, journalist Jon Kalish reports on a unique breed of caterers that cook on an open fire in front of the wedding guests.

False claims of rampant election fraud and a stolen 2020 presidential election persist despite the fact that there is no evidence that it's true. What gives these lies so much staying power? "Frankly, We Did Win This Election: The Inside Story of How Trump Lost" author Michael Bender joins us to explain. And, in Phoenix, Arizona, many school bus drivers are doubling or tripling up on routes. Brandon George, transportation director for PVUSD, talks about the shortage.