Where We Live

If you experience headaches, fatigue or gastrointestinal issues during difficult times, you’re not alone. Today, we explore the link between our physical and mental health. Doctors typically treat these areas of health separately, but there is a lot more connecting these two areas of health than you might think. Dr. Julian Ford, clinical psychologist and professor in the department of psychiatry a...

The State Department of Education and five Connecticut tribal nations are  working together  to meet a legislative mandate calling for Native American curriculum for K-12 social studies classes. Resources with localized information from the tribal nations themselves – Eastern Pequot, Mashantucket Pequot, Mohegan, Schaghticoke and Golden Hill Paugussett – are expected to be available in January 202...

Doctors and scientists are increasingly seeing obesity as a complex disease that needs to be treated as such. Today, we talk about the psychology of obesity, and emotional eating. We learn about binge eating disorder and how stress and trauma can impact our metabolism and how we eat. We hear from Dr. Sherry Pagato, Licensed clinical psychologist and professor at University of Connecticut. She rese...

7.2 million Americans watched the FIFA World Cup opener,  AP reports . Live viewership on Fox "was up 88% from the 2018 opener." Christine Huber, a sports analyst who organizes local Team USA watch parties in the New Haven area through American Outlaws New Haven, says she's observed an increase in local attention on the games. She and local soccer commentator Shawn Mecchi join us to discuss, and s...

Suicide is the leading cause of death in college students, but are universities doing enough to provide mental health resources? Today, on Where We Live, we talk about a growing need for more mental health support on the college campus. We hear from Jennifer Rothman, of the National Alliance on Mental Illness and talk about what colleges can do to better aid students, and where students can go for...

One in ten Americans, or one on every elevator and four on every bus, is impacted by a rare disease.  Yet, 95 percent of rare diseases do not have approved treatment. On a promising note, bio-pharmaceutical companies working on orphan drugs have more than 800 projects in clinical development . In a ground-breaking clinical trial , a participating patient at the University of Connecticut Health Cen...

New Haven social studies teacher Garrett Griffin Jr. noticed his students were treading lightly around the topics of slavery and ancestry, and he set out to learn more in order to spotlight "the complexities and rich accomplishments of the descendants of Africa." By looking into this history,  Griffin said , "I hope to empower my students about our complex past for the ultimate purpose of increasi...

The American Rescue Plan Act was signed on March 11, 2021. Less than two weeks later, $81 billion was released to states across the country. This hour on Where We Live, we hear from experts on the state of ARPA spending in Connecticut. How is money being used to support housing, education and infrastructure?    Municipalities must allocate funds by December 2024 and fully spend them by December 20...

Today, we talk about how experiences coming of age impact us into adulthood. Melissa Febos, author of the bestselling memoir Girlhood , joins us. She writes about what she learned about herself, including the ways we begin to understand consent and how this impacts our relationships long-term. And later, what should parents and educators consider when teaching about consent? GUESTS: Melissa Febos...

How does craft deepen your understanding of your history, your community, or yourself? And how can predominantly-white craft spaces better welcome diverse experiences? Textile artist and printmaker Jen Hewett threads the needle on these questions in her latest book, This Long Thread: Women of Color on Craft, Community and Connection . The book includes interviews with 19 fiber artists, and surveys...

Through his art, Mohamad Hafez confronts preconceived notions of refugees and the "baggage" they may carry. He was recently the subject of an Oscars-shortlisted documentary , an intimate portrait of how Hafez's acclaimed UNPACKED series was informed by his own experience leaving Syria. This hour, we visit Hafez at his studio, just above the location of his latest venture, Pistachio Cafe. Hear abou...

Since purchasing Twitter, Elon Musk has drastically scaled back on the site’s content moderation and staff. Today, we hear from a former Twitter employee who was recently laid off about her experience working at the company. And later, we hear from Amanda J Crawford, Assistant Professor of Journalism at the University of Connecticut, on the real consequences of misinformation on the platform. We a...

With anti-trans rhetoric on the rise, one Connecticut family shares their story in the hopes of encouraging understanding. Hear our extended conversation with Oakley and his mom Jess, touching on his experience of coming out as trans, and about the importance of allyship and advocacy. Plus, Jess shares a parent's perspective. Oakley and Jess are using pseudonyms due to broader concerns about their...

There are several protections for trans and nonbinary people in our state, including insurance coverage for health care services and, as part of Connecticut's new "safe harbor" law, legal protections for those seeking gender-affirming care from out-of-state. Still, an increase in anti-trans rhetoric has led to a troubling trend of legislation and litigation nationally. How does this affect trans a...

On Election Day, Connecticut residents voted in favor of early voting – meaning Connecticut will no longer be one of just four states that doesn’t allow at least a day of in-person voting prior to Election Day. Support for early voting is one thing; implementation is another. Today on Where We Live, we talk about what early voting might look like in our state, and hear from Secretary of the State...

In 2018, New London was designated a "site of memory" on the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization's  slave route project , an effort launched in 1994 to "break the silence" around the history of slavery. New London Landmarks held a ceremony in July to recognize the designation, installing a plaque at Amistad Pier. The site is considered the sixteenth stop on the  New Lon...

As non-profit, tax-exempt institutions, colleges and universities are often seen as a source of public good. For example, a  recent New York Times Magazine article  celebrated a bustling New Haven arts scene that has arisen "both because of and despite its association with Yale." Author and historian Davarian L. Baldwin describes a "public good paradox," calling for a "broad examination of higher...

From 1872 to 1881, 120 young Chinese boys were sent to America on an educational exchange program. Today, we hear the stories of these boys and what their lives looked like around New England. We hear from the Connecticut Historical Society and learn about an exhibit honoring the Chinese Educational Mission. Later, we hear about Connecticut’s efforts to implement a robust AAPI curriculum in our sc...

There are over 150,000 veterans who identify as American Indian or Alaska Native, and more than 14,000 active-duty service members who identify as American Indian, according to reports from the federal departments of Veteran Affairs and Defense. This hour, we celebrate our Native American veterans. Eastern Pequot Tribal Councilor and U.S. Army veteran Valerie Gambrell shares her story. Councilor G...

Coming off the heels of Election Day, today on  Where We Live  we talk about the midterm election results and hear from our panel of experts. We hear from Jonathan Wharton, Khalilah Brown-Dean and Julia Bergman. We will also hear from some of the candidates. We break down what we saw last night and what we can expect to see from our newly elected officials. We want to hear from you. Did you vote i...

Sy Montgomery has authored over 30 books about animals. Today, she joins us to talk about her latest book, The Hawk’s Way: Encounters with Fierce Beauty . We learn about Sy’s lessons in falconry and what it takes to handle these incredible creatures. Later, we hear from A Place Called Hope Rehabilitation Center, a raptor rehabilitator located in Killingworth. If you’re a lover of birds of prey, we...

Indian immigrant Indra Nooyi led PepsiCo as chairman and CEO for more than a decade, making her one of the most powerful women in corporate America. Nooyi is also on the board of Amazon, a Dean's Advisory Council member at MIT's School of Engineering, and advisor on economic development to Gov. Ned Lamont. When the pandemic hit, she led the reopening committee with Dr. Albert Ko , who is the Raj a...

After nearly seven years of hosting  Where We Live , today is Lucy's last live show. Lucy isn't going anywhere! She has recently  been promoted to VP of Community Engagement , where she will lead Connecticut Public's strategies to deeply connect and build collaborations with community-focused organizations across the state. Before becoming a member of the company's senior leadership team, Lucy was...

Chief of the Mohegan Tribe Lynn Malerba made history when she was  sworn in as U.S. Treasurer  in September, the first Native American to be appointed to the role. She was also appointed by President Joe Biden to oversee the launch of a new Office of Tribal and Native Affairs within the Treasury Department, developing "new ways to help tribes develop their economies to overcome challenges that are...

This hour on Where We Live, we hear from two survivors of genocide. Theanvy Kuoch fled Cambodia and the Khmer Rouge in 1981, having lost 19 family members. Reena Aurora left India in 1989 five years after her brother was burned to death in the wave of anti-Sikh violence. Both women struggled to find culturally fluent psychiatric care for themselves and their families, leading Theanvy and Reena to...