Where We Live

President Trump has signed an executive order that will begin eliminating the Education Department. And while most experts agree that it would require an act of Congress to scrap the department entirely, significant workforce reductions have already begun. The White House says that these actions will save money and improve student test scores. But critics say that vulnerable students, rural commun...

For Muslims, Ramadan is the holiest month of the year. It’s marked by fasting, prayer and renewing one’s devotion to the faith. Here in Connecticut, institutions around the state are marking this holy time with a variety of celebrations. But throughout the world, Islamophobia is on the rise. Earlier this month in Waterbury, two young girls celebrating Ramadan were attacked by fellow st...

This hour, we’re exploring the history of tap dance in America. Tap was first developed as a fusion of footwork styles with roots in Africa and Ireland. Over the decades, tap legends like Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, Eleanor Powell, and Gregory Hines popularized the artform and brought it to the national stage. Local dancers, choreographers, and teachers join us to discuss how they...

Tolkien Reading Day is held on March 25th each year. Libraries here in Connecticut and across the globe mark this day by paying homage to the works of J.R.R Tolkien. They host “second breakfasts,” offer presentations on Hobbit lore, and encourage visitors to read their favorite passages aloud. This hour, we explore why Tolkien's characters and fantastical world building continues to re...

Daylight Saving Time: it’s just losing one hour of sleep right? How bad can that be? But experts say, it goes beyond losing one hour of sleep. The practice of advancing clocks to make better use of daylight, can have long term disruptions to our circadian rhythm. That’s according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Today, we explore just how disruptive Daylight Saving Time can b...

Reproductive health is historically understudied and underfunded in the United States. Scientists across Connecticut and beyond have been working to change that. Scientific initiatives like EndoRISE, a Connecticut-based program focused on advancing endometriosis research, are making strides toward better understanding reproductive health. This hour, we explore how President Trump’s recent fu...

This season alone, there have been over 30,000 COVID-19 cases in Connecticut. That’s according to the Connecticut Department of Public Health. Measles is on the rise across the United States, and the CDC is monitoring H5 bird flu activity as well. Is it time to start preparing for the next global pandemic? Last year, the World Health Organization published a checklist to help nations update...

Five years ago today, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. Since then, there have been over a million COVID-19 deaths in the United States alone. It can be challenging to recall a time with so much fear, trauma and loss. But today, we’re revisiting the earliest days of the pandemic and asking you, what do you remember? We’ll hear from the Pandemic Journali...

It’s been five years since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. What began as a mysterious “flu-like” illness spread rapidly, killing over one million people in the United States and over seven million worldwide. That’s according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data . And while half a decade has passed, many frontline workers reme...

The National Park Service is gearing up for its busiest season of the year, with a smaller staff to assist visitors. The National Park Service has laid off over 1000 employees. Here in Connecticut demand for outdoor recreation has grown exponentially. There was a 75% increase in state park visitors in 2022. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP) is working to m...

Children’s book author Mac Barnett has been named the Library of Congress' newest National Ambassador for Young People's Literature and during this appointment, he will be focusing on some really important literature: picture books. Picture books can inspire young readers to make reading a habit, but don’t dismiss them as solely books for kids. Mac Barnett believes that picture books a...

Korean Dramas, or “K-Dramas,” are gaining popularity internationally.  Netflix  recently poured billions of dollars into Korean content to meet the rising demand. So what sets K-Dramas apart from other TV genres? And why do viewers say that watching K-Dramas has helped them heal, grieve, and even feel less lonely? This hour, we’re joined by Jeanie Y. Chang, licensed mar...

Black holes aren’t just the stuff of science fiction; they’re real astronomical objects so dense, so massive, that nothing, not even light, escapes from them. Today, we’re getting lost in the void. Yale Astrophysicist Priya Natarajan joins us for an hour to talk about her research on these extraordinary objects. She was named one of Time's 100 Most Influential People of 2024 for...

Three years after Russia invaded Ukraine, the war continues on and millions are facing dire humanitarian needs. Despite prior support from the United States that included billions of dollars in aid, President Donald Trump has now falsely accused Ukraine of starting the war, and called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a dictator. Today, we hear from Doctors United for Ukraine, a nonprofit w...

This hour, we’ll explore climate change’s impact on many whale populations – from Belugas in the Arctic Ocean to North Atlantic right whales off the coast of New England. We’ll hear how studies conducted on Beluga whales at Mystic Aquarium are helping scientists better understand what factors threaten their survival in the wild. And later, scientists working on a research i...

In addition to handling all official state records, the Connecticut state comptroller acts as the official state financial watchdog. From a major audit of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities, and responding to unpredictable federal funding freezes, this office is having a very busy fiscal year. Today, Comptroller Scanlon joins us in the studio. We hear about Connecticut’s current...

The average cost of a wedding in Connecticut is nearly $35,000. Many couples are changing the way they get married, some opting for a small or “micro” wedding with only a few close friends and family members. And others are deciding to elope. But the decision to elope isn’t always tied to wanting to avoid the price tag of a big wedding. Today, we hear from one couple who recently...

Connecticut native Sirena Huang learned to play violin through the  Suzuki method: a teaching philosophy based on the idea that all children can play music. At 11-years-old, she performed and  gave a Ted Talk in California.  Now, nearly twenty years later, she performs internationally as a world renowned violinist. She joins us for the hour to talk about her journey, her time tourin...

If you’ve been listening to Where We Live for awhile, you probably are pretty familiar with our theme song. But today, we introduce a new theme and hear from the band behind it. We’ll also hear from members of the  indie rock community here in Connecticut. In the age of big sell out tours and stadium concerts, Connecticut bands are making their mark locally, establishing loyal fan...

President Trump has implemented tariffs on goods from China, and imports from Mexico and Canada may soon be affected as well. This hour, we offer “tariffs 101” – a look into what tariffs are, why the Trump administration is advocating for them, and how consumers and businesses in Connecticut may be impacted. We hear from business leaders across Connecticut on how they are prepari...

The  Mohegan Tribe —a sovereign and federally recognized Indian tribe in Southeastern Connecticut—has a longstanding belief in the power of storytelling. This oral tradition is a form of spoken record-keeping. Stories can often capture a deeper and fuller understanding of culture and beliefs than historical texts. This hour, we talk to Melissa Tantaquidgeon Zobel, the tribe’s vice chair of the cou...

The Stowe Center for Literary Activism  in Hartford is rethinking how they present the complex legacy of author Harriet Beecher Stowe and her best known work,  Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Today, Erika Slocumb, Director of Interpretation and Visitor Experience at the Stowe Center joins us to talk about the changes this local museum is making to better showcase literary activism of the past,...

During his first days in office, President Trump signed multiple executive orders that targeted transgender rights, affecting school policies, military service, and even gender markers on passports. This hour, we explore the real-world effects of these policies. We also hear how states like Connecticut may move to challenge these orders. And later, two local community members share how they are wo...

When’s the last time you laughed? Like really, full body, couldn’t catch your breath, laughed? Finding laughter can be challenging amongst the backdrop of political uncertainty and this constant stream of breaking news. But sometimes, laughter and comedy can be a great way to make sense of the world around us.  Today, we talk about how comedy can be a vehicle for protest, politica...

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order withdrawing the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO) , and has started putting restrictions on the National Institute of Health (NIH). Connecticut Department of Public Health Commissioner Manisha Juthani joins us to talk about the impact these changes might have on public health locally. We’ll also hear from Dr. Albert Ko...