Disrupted

It's college commencement season for the class of 2023. This hour, we'll explore the history, benefits and questions surrounding Affinity-based celebrations with Dr. Crystal Garcia . And local graduates discuss their challenges in finding a job with Economist, Harry Holzer. GUESTS: Dr. Crystal Garcia : Assistant Professor, Educational Administration at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Harry Holz...

This hour on Disrupted , we are listening back to our interviews with Black cartoonists who pushed their medium forward despite the reluctance of newspapers outside of the Black press to nationally syndicate their work. Jerry Craft talks about his banned, award-winning graphic novel New Kid , in addition to his latest book, School Trip . Barbara Brandon-Croft discusses her pioneering comic strip W...

This hour, we explore the recent rise in anti-trans legislation. Orion Rummler of The 19th News takes us through anti-trans bills that are being passed at the state level. Karleigh Chardonnay Webb explains why attacks on trans athletes are about more than sports. And Dawn Ennis talks about finding joy during a time of discrimination. GUESTS: Orion Rummler : LGBTQ+ reporter for The 19th News Karlei...

This hour, we take a look at the context around some of the biggest news stories in recent weeks. First, a panel discussion about gun violence with Leonard Jahad of Connecticut Violence Intervention Program and Jeremy Stein of CT Against Gun Violence . They explain some of the ways the U.S. and Connecticut could reduce the number of gun deaths. Then, Lisa Napoli, author of Up All Night: Ted Turner...

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 new 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...

Video games have a history of racist and sexist stereotypes, from damsels in distress to Asian martial artists. With the recent releases of The Super Mario Bros. Movie and HBO's television adaptation of The Last of Us , we wanted to take a closer look at representation in the video game industry. Sheri Graner Ray , CEO of Zombie Cat Studios and author of Gender Inclusive Game Design: Expanding the...

When journalist Stephanie Foo was 30, she finally learned her mental health diagnosis. She had complex post-traumatic stress disorder or C-PTSD, a condition caused by repeated exposure to trauma. At first, learning that fact made Stephanie feel hopeless. But she soon embarked on a journey of healing that helped her better understand what having C-PTSD really meant. In the process, she not only lea...

This hour, we look at how media is understood across generations and why media literacy is more than just identifying misinformation on the news or social media. Global media literacy educator Dr. Belinha De Abreu talks about the evolving relationship between people and the platforms they use. She also explains Connecticut's policy surrounding media literacy education. Later in the show, we hear a...

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 to a panel discussion that Khalilah hosted for The Nature Conservancy in Connecticut ’s annual Nature Talks series. The discussion was called “Oceans: Our Global Watchdog.” It was recorded in front of a live audience at Grace Farms in New Canaan, CT. The panelists talked about topics like how some communities are disproportionately affected by climate change and why we need to...

This hour, we highlight disruptors using their storytelling skills to create change. After the murder of Eric Garner, Mercy Quaye organized a conversation about who controls the Black narrative at a New Haven coffee shop. Her work ultimately led her to start The Narrative Project , an anti-racist communications organization. CBS Saturday Morning 's Michelle Miller also joins us to discuss her new...

This hour on Disrupted , we talk to Connecticut Kid Governor Ellie Mendez . The Kid Governor program teaches civics to 5th graders who elect one of their peers to the office. Ellie was elected on a platform that focuses on anxiety and depression. She is joined by her teacher, Mr. Michael Rinn. Then, we talk to Patricia Russo from The Campaign School at Yale University . The Campaign School seeks t...

This hour on Disrupted , we are looking at Black cartoonists who have pushed their medium forward despite the reluctance of newspapers outside of the Black press to nationally syndicate their work. Jerry Craft talks about his banned, award-winning graphic novel New Kid , in addition to his upcoming book School Trip . Barbara Brandon-Croft discusses her pioneering comic strip Where I'm Coming From...

This hour on Disrupted , we're taking a look at cannabis in Connecticut after the first month of legal sales. We’ll talk with Ben Zachs and Kennard Ray— equity partners of Fine Fettle in Manchester. Their store is Connecticut's first equity joint venture cannabis dispensary, part of a program that offer economic partnerships to people who have lived in areas disproportionately affected by drug-rel...

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 hour on Disrupted , we're taking a look at Connecticut fiscal policy. Connecticut State Treasurer Erick Russell is the first openly gay Black person to be elected to statewide office in the country. We talk to Russell about his take on Connecticut's finances and the delayed Baby Bonds program. Then, Emily Byrne of research-based advocacy organization Connecticut Voices for Children tells us a...

When journalist Stephanie Foo was 30, she finally learned her mental health diagnosis. She had complex post-traumatic stress disorder or C-PTSD, a condition caused by repeated exposure to trauma. At first, learning that fact made Stephanie feel hopeless. But she soon embarked on a journey of healing that helped her better understand what having C-PTSD really meant. In the process, she not only lea...

We examine how funding at different levels of government impacts urban revitalization efforts across Connecticut. CT Mirror/CT Public Federal Policy reporter Lisa Hagen outlines the government spending bill that was passed in December and how Connecticut will appropriate its earmarked funds. We’ll hear from Dr. Karen DuBois-Walton, President and CEO of Elm City Communities and The Glendower Group;...

Zora Neale Hurston: Claiming a Space is a new documentary from the PBS series American Experience . The film explores the life of the author of Their Eyes Were Watching God and reveals that in addition to her work as a novelist, Hurston was also an anthropologist whose methods were ahead of her time. Tracy Heather Strain, the director, writer and producer of the film, joins us. We also listen back...

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin's cardiac arrest has renewed conversations about the physical toll that football takes. This hour, we take a closer look at what happened during that Monday night game. Ben Strauss of The Washington Post gives us the context around what happened, and Ryan Stewart, a former safety for the Detroit Lions, remembers when his teammate Reggie Brown was given CPR on the...

After a statue of General Robert E. Lee came down in his hometown of New Orleans, Dr. Clint Smith began visiting sites like Monticello Plantation and Angola Prison to learn more about the ramifications of slavery in the United States today. It became the basis for his best-selling book, How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America . On this week's Disrupted , he j...

According to the CDC, 6 in 10 adults have a chronic disease . This hour on Disrupted, we are exploring the sometimes invisible suffering of those with long-term health conditions. Professor and writer Sonya Huber talks about her book Pain Woman Takes Your Keys, and Other Essays from a Nervous System , an experimental collection that details her experience with rheumatoid arthritis as she navigates...

This hour on Disrupted, Connecticut’s 12 community colleges will officially merge into a single institution in July of 2023. John Maduko is the president of the new Connecticut State Community College . He tells us his vision for what the merger could mean for the state. We also hear from students, faculty, and staff. Hearst Media reporter Jacqueline Rabe Thomas also joins us to provide additional...

In this episode of Disrupted, how artists in Connecticut are using their talents to empower their communities. Titus Kaphar and Jason Price co-founded NXTHVN , a nonprofit that brings artists from around the world to New Haven. They'll talk about how that organization is empowering young people. And, Connecticut’s 8th State Poet Laureate Antoinette Brim-Bell talks about the collaborations that are...

Program Advisory: clips used in this episode contain antisemitic language used for the purpose of providing context. This week, we discuss antisemitism today, how we teach the history of the holocaust and Nazi racism’s connection to American Jim Crow laws. We also hear about the Fortunoff Video Archive For Holocaust Testimonies. This conversation was part of a panel moderated by host Khalilah Brow...