Ayesha Rascoe

Ayesha Rascoe is the host of "Weekend Edition Sunday" and the weekend host of Up First podcast. In these roles, she interviews newsmakers, entertainers, and politicians, bringing her signature wit and sharp perspective to the stories shaping the national conversation.

Beyond the airwaves, Rascoe is the editor of "HBCU Made: A Celebration of the Black College Experience," a collection of essays highlighting the profound impact of historically Black institutions. She is a proud alumna of Howard University.

Rascoe joined NPR in 2018 and quickly became a mainstay of the network’s programming. Before stepping into her role as host, she served as a White House Correspondent, covering three presidential administrations. She earned a reputation for her incisive questioning in the briefing room and reported from major international events, including the 2019 Hanoi Summit with Kim Jong Un and President Obama’s final NATO summit in Warsaw. During this time, she was also a regular fixture on the NPR Politics Podcast. Her versatile career includes guest-hosting It’s Been a Minute and appearing as a frequent contributor to Pop Culture Happy Hour.

Rascoe began her career at Reuters, where she spent a decade rising from news assistant to White House Correspondent. As an energy reporter, she covered era-defining stories such as the 2010 BP oil spill and the U.S. response to the Fukushima nuclear crisis. Whether diving into complex legal cases or the latest in pop culture, Rascoe remains one of the most distinct voices in modern journalism.