Disrupted

Black news outlets have long shed light on important stories ignored by other organizations. This hour, we’re taking an in depth look at the Black press. Professor Trevy A. McDonald tells us about the role the Black press played during important moments in history such as the civil rights movement. Akoto Ofori-Atta of Capital B explains her goals in helping to create a non-profit newsroom dedicate...

This hour, we explore Connecticut music. Violinist Kersten Stevens just released a jazz album that she worked on with eight-time Grammy winner Christian McBride. She talks to us about facing imposter syndrome and how her unique sound came out of her experience playing a wide range of genres while growing up in Connecticut. Qiana Coachman-Strickland, also known as " DJ Q-Boogie ," discusses her wor...

The Disrupted team has been welcoming the new year by choosing a few of the episodes we loved from 2023. We have so many favorites that we couldn't reair all of them, but these are a few that we wanted to listen back to. This week is the last of our "2023 favorites" episodes. Producer Kevin Chang Barnum chose our episode on Chinese American exclusion and resistance not only because of how it highl...

The Disrupted team is welcoming the new year by choosing a few of the episodes we loved from 2023. We have so many favorites that we couldn't reair all of them, but these are a few that we wanted to listen back to. This week, Producer Wayne Edwards chose our episode on media literacy. We look at how media is understood across generations and why media literacy is more than just identifying misinfo...

The Disrupted team is welcoming the new year by choosing a few of the episodes we loved from 2023. We have so many favorites that we couldn't reair all of them, but these are a few that we wanted to listen back to. This week, our host Khalilah Brown-Dean chose our episode on how race has impacted agriculture and the environmental movement. Leah Penniman, Co-Executive Director and Farm Director at...

A recent report found that one in five young people in Connecticut is dealing with challenges like disconnection from education and employment, being at-risk of not graduating high school and incarceration. This hour, we take a closer look at that report. First, Andrew Ferguson walks us through the numbers. He is Co-CEO of Dalio Education, the organization that commissioned Boston Consulting Group...

This hour, we talk to people who are disrupting the way we think about parenting. Mr. Chazz has hundreds of thousands of followers on TikTok and Instagram . He tells us how social media can be used to break generational cycles of unhealthy parenting behaviors. And cultural developmental psychologist Nandita Chaudhary discusses her realization that the developmental psychology she was studying didn...

As we gather with friends, family or co-workers, questions about social courtesies may arise. This hour on Disrupted, we learn holiday etiquette tips from lifestyle and etiquette expert Terri Bryant. Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa are the more recognizable holidays of this season, but have you heard of or celebrated Bodhi Day or Pancha Ganapati? Dr. Aaron M. Gale educates us about religious holi...

On November 14th, Disrupted held a live event at Quinnipiac University to talk with leaders from across our state about the economic inequities that women face. The discussion focused on housing, childcare and economic mobility and coincided with the release of a report titled " Elusive Equity: Continuing Effects of the Pandemic on Women’s Economic Security .” First, Michelle Riordan-Nold of CTDat...

Ned Blackhawk's book ' The Rediscovery of America: Native Peoples and the Unmaking of U.S. History ,' just won a National Book Award. In recognition of that award, we listen back to our interview with Professor Blackhawk. We also hear Professor of Law Matthew L.M. Fletcher give us the context around the Supreme Court ruling on the Indian Child Welfare Act from earlier this year. GUESTS: Matthew L....

This hour, we talk to documentary filmmakers whose work disrupts the way we view the world. Ken Burns joins us in a wide-ranging conversation that covers everything from his distinctive style to why we may be in the most difficult crisis in U.S. history. Then, we talk to Su Kim, one of the producers of the film ' Free Chol Soo Lee .' The film tells the story of a man who is convicted of a murder h...

Listening to the news, it feels like there are more natural disasters than ever. This hour, we talk about why flooding and droughts are becoming so common and discuss how the word "disaster" affects the way we view an event. First, Connecticut State Historian Andy Horowitz explains why understanding disasters involves looking at the decisions people made before the devastation, sometimes decades b...

As you prepare to cast your vote in this upcoming election, you may have questions about how campaigns work in Connecticut. This hour on Disrupted, we learn about the State Elections Enforcement Commission which oversees voter fraud allegations and campaign finance. We'll also examine America's youngest voters, Gen Z. Ruby Belle Booth will provide insight on Gen Z's voting impact followed by an al...

As Halloween approaches, we are exploring America's history of racism through horror books and films. Mark H. Harris, one of the co-authors of The Black Guy Dies First: Black Horror Cinema from Fodder to Oscar , talks about different eras of Black horror cinema and the origins of the famous racist horror trope referenced in his book's title. Author and academic historian P. Djèlí Clark discusses h...

This hour on Disrupted, we hear from three women who are rewriting narratives around death and dying in the U.S. The COVID-19 pandemic forced many of us to confront death head-on. At the same time, we’re also seeing major changes in the death care industry — from the emergence of things like green burials and human composting to the diversification of funeral directors. GUESTS: Cole Imperi : Found...

This hour, we listen back to a conversation with author and journalist Ari Berman on democracy and voting rights. He’ll talk about the decision the Supreme Court made 10 years ago in Shelby County v. Holder that removed key provisions from the Voting Rights Act of 1965. He'll also explain what Democrats need to do differently if they want to ensure people have access to the polls. This conversatio...

Baratunde Thurston is a bestselling author , has been nominated for an Emmy and gave a TED Talk that now has over a million views on YouTube. He's also the host of the PBS series America Outdoors with Baratunde Thurston . This hour, Baratunde opens up about everything from from doubting himself while attending an elite private school to the need for a rebirth of democracy. And he explains how Amer...

This hour on Disrupted, we explore sports and mental health. The Fall sport season has begun. For some families, this will be their child’s first experience in competition. For others, their student athlete will continue competing in high school or college sports. As the competition level increases, the performance, academic and even social expectations can impact an athlete’s physical and mental...

This hour, we’re exploring the history of civil rights for Black Americans and how people can create change now. Professor Adriane Lentz-Smith gives us some context around the 60th anniversary celebration of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, which happened on the same day as the shooting in Jacksonville. And Professor Ruha Benjamin, who is being recognized with this year's Stowe Prize,...

This hour, we take a look at anti-Chinese racism, anti-Asian racism and how government policy plays a role in both. Ava Chin discusses how the Chinese Exclusion Act continues to impact people today as we interview her about her book ' Mott Street: A Chinese American Family's Story of Exclusion and Homecoming .' And Russell Jeung, one of the co-founders of Stop AAPI Hate , talks about the historica...

This hour, we look at how dance has excluded people based on race and ability and how some people are fighting to change that. India Harville, a Disability Justice Consultant, talks about the need to shift attitudes in order to make dance more accessible. Jennifer Wiesner explains how she promotes racial diversity in her Norwalk dance studio, Studio Arte. And Anna Jayne Kimmel, an Assistant Profes...

On June 29th, the Supreme Court ruled that colleges and universities can no longer use race as a factor in admissions, with an exception for military academies. The decisions came in 2 separate affirmative action cases, one against Harvard College and the other against the University of North Carolina. This hour, we discuss the impact of those decisions. Jin Hee Lee , who, as part of the Legal Def...

This hour, we explore disruptions in our food landscape, from consumption to distribution and food waste management. Brian Paganini, Vice President of Quantum Biopower in Connecticut, explains how the company transforms food scraps into energy. Joshua Tetrick, CEO and Co-Founder of GOOD Meat, talks about growing meat from cells. And Katie Martin, CEO of More Than Food Consulting, discusses how to...

This hour, we take a look at representation in the cycling world. Connecticut-based bike instructor Leta Highsmith talks about being the first Black woman to become a League Cycling Coach with The League of American Bicyclists. Hannah Ross discusses her book REVOLUTIONS: How Women Changed the World on Two Wheels . And Katie Walker, who just finished racing in the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championshi...

Comedian and writer Roy Wood Jr. has been entertaining audiences with political satire for more than 25 years. He is best known for his role as correspondent on Comedy Central's The Daily Show . In April, Roy joined the list of notable comedians such as Jay Leno, Seth Meyers and Trevor Noah to headline the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. This hour, Roy Wood Jr. talks about his upbringing in th...