Where We Live

Breaking, also known as breakdancing, made its debut at the Olympics this summer. But the sport has an illustrious history. This hour, we take you from the streets of the Bronx to the global stage. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2023, employment in retail increased by nearly 500,000 people from October to December. Additionally, there is an increased demand for healthcare services during the holiday season. Vehicular accidents, fires and decorating injuries are all too common. That’s according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. If you’ve recently spent any time shopping, or at a doctor’s offic...

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 marriage and fa...

Mortality rates among American Indian and Black women are three times higher than the rate for white women. To understand the racial disparities we see in today’s healthcare system, it could be worth examining the past. Dr. Deirdre Cooper Owens is part of a growing group of historians examining the history of race and medicine. She joins us for the hour. In her book Medical Bondage: Race, Ge...

Some frustrated tenants are forming tenant unions to fight back against rent hikes, no fault evictions and to push for safer, more secure housing. We’ll hear from the Connecticut Tenant Union . Later, DataHaven joins us to share the findings of their most recent wellbeing survey which reported the “highest rate of financial insecurity since the start of statewide data collection in 201...

The holiday season can bring financial stress, more time at home, and pressure to spend time with family. According to advocates, these conditions place survivors of domestic violence at high risk. This hour, we talk to advocates about how they are meeting the growing need for domestic violence services across the state and why the expiration of American Rescue Plan funds could make their work mor...

Carolyn Kuan has been the music director at the Hartford Symphony Orchestra since 2011. This hour, we speak to her about her work as a conductor, and the driving forces behind her music. Like many organizations, Hartford Symphony Orchestra has put forth diversity and inclusivity commitments stating that they are, quote “diversifying programming by considering race, ethnicity and gender identity in...

A fire broke out in October of this year at Lamentation Mountain in Berlin. It took officials weeks to contain the brushfires. The Connecticut National Guard borrowed helicopters to dump more than 100,000 gallons of water on the fire. While attempting to fight the fire, tragically, Wethersfield volunteer firefighter Robert Sharkevich Sr. died . Sharkevich was riding a utility task vehicle on one o...

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 are keeping the r...

Architect and attorney Sara Bronin chaired the Hartford Planning and Zoning Commission for seven years. Connecticut listeners might know her from her work with  DesegregateCT, a statewide coalition pushing for zoning reform  in our state. Her new book,  Key to the City: How Zoning Shapes Our World , goes beyond Hartford and examines how zoning molds cities and communities across the nation. Zoning...

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...

Thanksgiving is a week away…you ready? Maybe you're brushing up on those cooking skills for a Friendsgiving this weekend. If the holiday is just one big excuse to gather friends and family around a table, we have a treat for you. Lidia Bastianich, the award-winning chef and host of “Lidia’s Kitchen” on PBS is our guest. Lidia talks about her journey to becoming an American, and her latest book - w...

Some studies show that working with your hands can have a lot of cognitive and emotional benefits. Creating something with your hands can be a deeply satisfying process, and for some students, it can set them on a path for a real career in engineering. That’s where Makerspaces come in. Across the state, makerspaces are providing places where students of all ages can go and learn a new trade or cra...

A Connecticut lab is embarking on a groundbreaking initiative to study endometriosis, a painful condition that impacts people with a uterus. Endometriosis is just one of the many invisible illnesses that impact an estimated 10% of the American population, according to  Disabled World , an independent Health and Disability news source. This hour, we talk about why invisible illnesses are difficult...

Traditionally, college campuses are epicenters of activity, connection, and engagement. So why are students feeling so isolated? 39% of students have reported feeling lonely. Loneliness remains an ongoing health crisis throughout the nation. United States Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has raised concerns about loneliness, sharing that a lack of connection can increase the risk for premature death....

Sy Montgomery is the author of several books on animals, ordinary and extraordinary. Her new book What the Chicken Knows tackles one of the most common birds on the planet, but she argues that chickens are truly exceptional creatures. Today, Sy joins us for the hour to talk about her new book and her experience owning and raising chickens. Although chickens have a reputation of being rather uninte...

This hour, we explore the beverage that helps us start our days, energize our bodies, and connect with friends: coffee. Coffee has played an unexpected role in Connecticut’s history. It has fueled fights for workers’ rights and social reforms, and even shaped cultures. With the help of a local historian, we move through time; from the birth of the 'coffee house' to the rise in popularity of the co...

77% of adults said the future of the nation is a significant source of stress in their lives. When anxiety is high, it can be more important than ever to lean into self-care routines to manage stress. And today's guests say that strategies managing election stress aren't that different than managing everyday stress. Today, interfaith chaplain Reverend Tracy Mehr-Muska joins us to talk about managi...

Election Day is finally here. Today, we’ll get updates on how Election Day is unfolding in our state and across the nation. Connecticut Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas will join us, and we hear from one Connecticut Public reporter in the field. Later, we take a look at one of the oldest political campaign tools: lawn signs. Are you voting today? What are polling stations looking like where...

This hour, we hear a panel discussion called “Artistic Congress,” held at the Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven, Connecticut on October 26. Panelists, including educators, journalists, and artists, gathered to discuss the connection between creativity and civic engagement. They asked: Is it political discourse that impacts art? Or is it art that fuels political discourse? GUESTS : Lucy Gellman:  Edi...

Happy Halloween! Is Connecticut the spookiest place in the country? We’re not sure, but our guests today are pretty haunted! All this hour, we’ll be talking about all things Spooky Connecticut, and not just our favorite haunted spots. There will be candy debates, talks of our favorite horror flicks filmed right here in Connecticut, and more. Watch the Connecticut Public documentary "Trail of Terro...

How do you spend your time online? Many of our online platforms are designed to encourage scrolling, and to benefit advertisers and algorithms. Platforms built to connect us have left us more disconnected than ever. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Technologists say that a better internet is possible. Today, we talk about the changing architecture of the internet to serve the public interest. L...

It’s the season of the witch! While we prepare to wear our pointed hats this Halloween, we can’t forget the gruesome history of witch hunts in New England – including Connecticut. While many movies today celebrate witches as quirky, empowered, and misunderstood, the history behind being called a “witch” is rooted in prejudice and fear. In today’s political landscape, the word “witch” continues to...

When the Afghanistan fell under Taliban rule in 2021, instruments were destroyed and musicians were silenced. Today, we hear from Afghan musicians taking part in a performance at the Bushnell Theater in Hartford entitled “Symphony of Resilience: The Afghan Orchestra Unsilenced.” We’ll listen to some of their original music and learn how some artists in Afghanistan are finding ways to pursue and ev...

James White entered the Connecticut school system at age 7. Although he would go on to graduate high school and run a small business, he found himself struggling. He had to ask friends and family members for help with paperwork. Writing and reading was a challenge. But then he found the Literacy Volunteers of Greater Hartford and started taking classes. Many adults struggle with reading comprehens...