Disrupted

The feminist movement has led to groundbreaking legislation like the 19th Amendment, Title IX and the Violence Against Women Act. But when did the movement start? And whose voices are still missing from the conversation? This hour, we’ll dive into the history present of feminism and hear from an activist creating public art to spread information about women’s issues. GUESTS: Brittney C...

Video Game revenue reached nearly 180 billion dollars in 2020. The industry’s continued growth and impact is being seen across our society. This week, an insiders’ look at the future of pro gaming. And how gaming’s growth is affecting our climate. GUESTS: Jason Chung - Assistant Professor and Executive Director of Esport Business Programs at the University of New Haven Corey Park...

Trees are one of New England's most treasured resources. But in Connecticut cities, a painful history of racism and redlining leads to fewer trees. On this week’s Disrupted, a look at the urban tree canopy in Connecticut. And, our region loses nearly 38 square miles of forestland each year. How we can fight deforestation in our backyard? GUESTS: Drew Goldsman - Urban Conservation Director fo...

This episode originally aired on February 17, 2021 Historically Black Colleges and Universities have existed in the United States since 1837. Decades before the abolishment of slavery, these institutions promoted access to education, as a path toward freedom. Today, there are over 100 HBCUs across the country, graduating roughly 20% of Black students. So, what exactly are the institutions and why...

This hour on Disrupted, we speak with three young leaders whose faith plays a big role in their lives and communities. A Reverend on using his struggles to inspire young people. We also hear from two Muslim sisters who are breaking barriers. And, a conversation with the Director of the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival about a new project trying to shake up classical music. Guests: Rev. Quavon Newton...

As summer heats up, people across New England are flocking to the beach. But there’s been a long battle in CT, for access to the shoreline. This week on Disrupted, we learn about the history of exclusion on the Long Island sound. And we hear from descendants of the historically Black communities of Oak Bluffs and Sag Harbor. Andrew Kahrl - Professor of African-American Studies and History at...

Disrupted's political roundtable tackles recent news, like Nikole Hannah-Jones’s tenure controversy and her decision to teach at Howard University. They’ll give context around Critical Race Theory, how a supreme court case is impacting voting rights, and whether the Olympics need a racial reckoning.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since it began in 1948, NASCAR has only fielded 8 Black drivers for its top-level cup series. The sport hasn’t been exactly welcoming to people of color.  But following the murder of George Floyd and events of last year, they’re making moves to shed that racist image. On this week's Disrupted, a history of NASCAR’s push for diversity. GUESTS: Daniel McFadin , Lead Reporter a...

Chase W. Dillon was 9-years-old when he was cast as the role of Homer in  The Underground Railroad   on Amazon Prime. This hour on Disrupted, Chase talks about his life in Connecticut, his career, and how he’s giving back to his community. And you may know actor Michael Jai White from his roles in The Dark Knight, Spawn, or Black Dynamite. He grew up in Bridgeport and is now return...

The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted a fundamental fact: disparities in health outcomes by race and ethnicity exist across the country and the state, and COVID-19 has taken an unequal toll on Black people, Latinos, and Native Americans. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After years of warning from scientists, the global climate crisis is impacting Americans across the country. 2021 has already seen unprecedented ice storms across Texas and one of the worst droughts in modern history in the west. But what kind of changes can we expect in Connecticut? On this Disrupted, we dig into the ways our changing climate is affecting our state. Disrupted this week was produc...

June 19th marks the 156th anniversary of Black emancipation in America. Here in Connecticut there are events around the state to mark Juneteenth - and our state is often seen as being a northern utopia for Black Americans but by the American Revolution, Connecticut had the largest number of slaves of all the New England states. In fact, slavery in Connecticut did not officially end until 1848 - th...

This Program Originally Aired on December 23rd, 2020. As the country’s young population is becoming more diverse , children’s and young adult literature books are struggling with representation. According to a 2019 report on diversity in books, roughly 42% of books feature a white main character. So, what is being done to disrupt this? This hour on Disrupted , we delve into the world o...

This hour, we hear from a social psychologist about the reality of creating truly equitable, anti-racist organizations, and about how some Connecticut companies are cultivating diversity in their workforce. Also, we find out the status of legislation shaping Connecticut’s criminal justice system. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Earlier this year, workers at an Amazon facility in Alabama made national news when they announced their intentions to unionize. While the union vote failed, the news is part of a renewed effort to raise working standards across the country. Despite the traditional picture of the white male union worker, today unions are more diverse than ever before. Black Americans are more likely to be members...

This hour on Disrupted, we talk to four experts and practitioners thinking about how to improve outcomes for Black mothers in the state, combating the racism in the medical system and allowing Black women to access the joy of childbirth. We'll also talk about  legislation in Connecticut that would help make doula support more accessible to all women.   See omnystudio.com/listener fo...

In March, Connecticut became just the 9th state to pass the CROWN Act , a bill that outlaws discrimination on the basis of one’s hair. The passage of the bill is being heralded by advocates who say Black Americans have been forced to assimilate to white beauty standards in order to succeed.  This week on Disrupted, we speak with two Kent State professors on their upcoming exhibition and...

This hour on Disrupted, we talk about vaccine access and hesitancy as the roll-out continues in Connecticut. And we discuss how educational institutions are examining issues of equity, inclusion, and belonging. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This hour on Disrupted, CNN anchor Don Lemon talks about his new book “This is the Fire: What I say to my friends about Racism” -- he started writing it in response to Floyd’s death.   And the president of the Museum of Chinese in America talks about how she’s working to change perceptions of Asians in America. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This hour on Disrupted, we talk to three members of the theater community in Connecticut about how the industry moves forward, and what lessons they’ve learned over the last year. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This hour on Disrupted, meet three young Connecticut disruptors. These activists are all in their early 20s and they’re finding their voices and power to speak out for issues that are important to them - from racial justice, to transportation, and environmentalism. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This moment in American history can feel unprecedented. But white supremacist violence and debates over whose rights really matter are hardly new. This hour on Disrupted, we talk to two authors who provide crucial historical and theoretical context to this moment. Keisha Blain co-edited Four Hundred Souls, A Community History of African America. Jamal Greene is the author of How Rights Went Wrong:...

The sports world is riding a new wave of athlete activism. After a year of protests, athletes are openly using their platforms after constantly being told “ to stick to sports.” So how can they foster change? This hour, we dive into why sports have always been political. We’ll also hear from WNBA star A’ja Wilson on what it means to use her platform for change. See omnystud...

This hour on Disrupted, we explore the role equity plays in marijuana legalization - and find out what we can learn from other states.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This hour on Disrupted, we talk to Erik Clemons, who was one of the founders of the Connecticut Center for Arts and Technology. He just stepped down as CEO after a decade. He talks about his career in New Haven and about the lessons he learned from being a part of the public/private partnership between the state and Dalio Philanthropies . Also, we talk about how community college admissions plumme...