Disrupted

In its early stages, Miss America was mostly about physical beauty. Today, pageants have placed more emphasis on interviewing skills, social platform and inclusiveness. Shavana Clarke is the first openly queer and lesbian woman to win Miss Connecticut USA . She shares her pageant journey and her mental health experience through her personal blog . We also hear from Sally-Ann Fawcett, one of the ju...

This hour, we prepare for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic games. We'll hear from competitors, including a Connecticut native who lost part of her leg in a shark attack one year ago. She will now swim for Team USA in the Paralympics. We'll also check in on the geopolitical implications of this year's Olympics and talk to Logan "Logistx" Edra , who is competing in breaking— a style of dance rooted i...

It's time for our second annual summer movie panel! This time we are talking about the possible end of the summer blockbuster (as we know it) and the end of the world in film. The panelists discuss the lack of hype around any specific movie(s) this year as compared to what we saw with last year's Barbie / Oppenheimer pairing and the trend in post-apocalyptic imagery in films like Dune: Part Two an...

This hour, we’ll hear some of our favorite segments from our archive that teach us about the past and present of LGBTQ+ rights. Historian Marc Stein describes LGBTQ+ history beyond the Stonewall Uprising, including protests that occurred in Bridgeport. In a segment from Where We Live , Orion Rummler of The 19th News updates us on anti-trans bills that are being passed at the state level. And Dawn...

While many Black Americans have been celebrating Juneteenth since 1865, the holiday has often been overlooked by non-Black Americans. This hour, we look at the tradition of the holiday and recognize its importance as a time to learn more about Black history in the U.S. Alliah L. Agostini is a mom and children’s book author. Her books The Juneteenth Story: Celebrating the End of Slavery in the Unit...

For parents, thinking about mental health is also about the lessons they impart on their children. This hour, we talk to two parents who advocate for mental health. First, Medina Jett , author of ' Peace Be Still: Navigating My Son’s Bipolar Disorder ,' opens up about being a mother to a young adult with a mental illness. Then, Michell Clark discusses his book ' Eyes on the Road ' and offers advic...

This hour, we are taking a look at friendship. While friends seem ubiquitous in our culture, they aren't often prioritized in the same way that romantic partners are. Rhaina Cohen discusses that topic in her new book ' The Other Significant Others: Reimagining Life with Friendship at the Center .' Then, we turn to the idea of having friends from different generations. We'll hear from two Quinnipia...

Both Democrats and Republicans are hoping immigration policy will win them votes in 2024. This hour, we take a look at immigration laws from the past and present. Atlantic Staff Writer and 2023 Pulitzer Prize-winner Caitlin Dickerson talks about Biden and Trump's records on immigration and tells us who is immigrating to the U.S. today. We also hear from a group that supports immigrants through com...

As election day steadily approaches, we hear two conversations about voting. Back in March, Khalilah hosted a live event with MSNBC Legal Analyst Charles Coleman Jr. We take a listen to that event and learn how Black voters can make a difference in their communities. The discussion was part of The Legacy Foundation of Hartford 's Black Excellence Speaker Series. Then, Jacqueline De León , Senior A...

Seventy years ago, Brown v. Board of Education outlawed racial segregation in public schools. This hour, we look at the historic Supreme Court decision — and some of the inequities that still exist in education today. We speak with the Executive Director of a youth development organization in Hartford working to close education opportunity gaps. And later, we talk about the legacy of Ellen Peters,...

Many people think of libraries as quiet places to study, work or read a book. But the quiet rooms of libraries have also been centers of social change. This hour, we look at how libraries help people build community and explore their identities. First, we talk about a recent drag story hour in Enfield, CT that was successfully rescheduled after it had initially been canceled due to safety concerns...

This hour on Disrupted, we’re looking at the First Amendment and its impact on colleges and universities. Students are demanding their schools divest from Israel over its war in Gaza. Some colleges have allowed protests with police presence, while others have forcibly removed demonstrators. There have been allegations of antisemitic, anti-Muslim, and anti-Palestinian speech at some protests — and...

This hour, we are taking a look at how race has impacted agriculture and the environmental movement. Leah Penniman, Co-Executive Director and Farm Director at Soul Fire Farm , talks about her book Black Earth Wisdom: Soulful Conversations with Black Environmentalists . The discussion touches on everything from Leah's childhood to how the creation of some of the most prominent national parks in the...

Dr. Eddie S. Glaude Jr. returns to the show to talk about his new book, ' We Are the Leaders We Have Been Looking For .' The book reevaluates our understanding of leadership and argues that ordinary people need to become leaders. He also explains his views on the 2024 election and how reading The Autobiography of Malcolm X changed his life. GUEST: Dr. Eddie S. Glaude Jr. : James S. McDonnell Disti...

With the release of Beyoncé’s new album, Cowboy Carter , the long and often-ignored history of Black country music is back in the spotlight. This hour, we talk to a woman who has made a career in country music, even though the industry hasn't always been welcoming. Alice Randall is a chart-topping country songwriter and author of the new book ' My Black Country A Journey Through Country Music's Bl...

This hour, we hear from people who think a lot about religion - both their own experiences and how it impacts society. NPR National Political Correspondent Sarah McCammon grew up in Kansas City as an Evangelical. Her new book, The Exvangelicals - Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church tells her story and the story of others who felt disenchanted by the movement and walked away. H...

This hour on Disrupted , we're challenging long-held assumptions about parents and caregivers. First, Angela Garbes, author of Essential Labor: Mothering as Social Change , explains how care workers are undervalued. She touches on the way the early days of the pandemic spotlighted issues in caregiving and why the legacy of American colonialism in the Philippines influenced both her family history...

This week on Disrupted, we learn about two women who played important roles in the Civil Rights Movement. Historian Tanisha C. Ford wrote about Mollie Moon, a fundraiser in the 1940s in her new book 'Our Secret Society: Mollie Moon and the Glamour, Money, and Power Behind the Civil Rights Movement,' . Later in the show, we’ll listen back to our conversation about New Haven’s Constance Baker Motley...

The First Lady of the United States is not an elected position. But even so, the office plays an important role in our government. This week on Disrupted , an Art Historian talks about the powerful First Ladies of American history who don't get the recognition they deserve. Also, how gender quotas are changing politics in Latin America. GUESTS: Gwendolyn DuBois Shaw: Class of 1940 Bicentennial Ter...

COVID-19 was officially declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020. It continues to impact our lives to this day. This hour, we’re looking back at the four years since the pandemic started to understand what we’ve learned. Health policy expert Scott L. Greer analyzes the U.S. government's response to COVID-19. And critical care and infectious disease physician Taison Bell talks about health equity in a...

This hour, we talk to Black creators who are making their marks in the arts. Andre Rochester is a fine artist based in greater Hartford. He discusses self-expression and social consciousness in art. We'll hear from Andre's mentor, Stanwyck Cromwell about how he and Andre have both taught each other. And Busayo Olupona, who spoke with us amidst the bustle of New York Fashion Week, explains her jour...

This hour, we are talking about the stories we see represented on the small screen. Elizabeth Ito is the creator of ' City of Ghosts ' and also worked on Adventure Time . She'll discuss using people's real voices in her work and covering topics like gentrification on a series that children watch. Bethonie Butler, author of ' Black TV: Five Decades of Groundbreaking Television from Soul Train to Bl...

This hour, for Valentine's Day, we are taking a look at friendship. While friends seem ubiquitous in our culture, they aren't often prioritized in the same way that romantic partners are. Rhaina Cohen discusses that topic in her new book ' The Other Significant Others: Reimagining Life with Friendship at the Center .' Then, we turn to the idea of having friends from different generations. We'll he...

This hour on Disrupted, we discuss the First Amendment and its impact on higher education. College campuses are in the spotlight as students have continued to hold protests since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. There have been allegations of antisemitic, anti-Muslim, and anti-Palestinian speech at some protests — and that’s left many wondering how to address harmful speech without curbing free...

In a new essay, NPR host Ayesha Rascoe writes about how Howard University helped shape her into the person she is today. The essay is part of a collection that she edited called ' HBCU Made: A Celebration of the Black College Experience ' and features contributors like Oprah Winfrey, Stacey Abrams and comedian Roy Wood Jr. This hour, she tells us about the book and her career, discussing everythin...