Where We Live

Every year, a cohort of emerging artists and curators gather at NXTHVN, a fellowship program located in the heart of New Haven's Dixwell neighborhood, and "a new national arts model that empowers artists, curators, and the community through education and access to a vibrant ecosystem."

This hour, we hear from Marquita Flowers and Clare Patrick, current curatorial fellows at NXTHVN. Their exhibition, "To Echo A Shadow," explores the links between industrialization and forced migration. We discuss how the Dixwell neighborhood, and its history, were embraced in the exhibition programming.

Plus, former NXTHVN fellow Michelle Phuong Ho discusses what artist community means to her. She recently launched the literary salon "quietly wild."

GUESTS:

Marquita Flowers: Curatorial Fellow 2023-2024, NXTHVN

Clare Patrick: Curatorial Fellow 2023-2024, NXTHVN

Michelle Phuong Ho: Poet; Community Organizer; Former Curatorial Fellow, NXTHVN

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Connecticut's Department of Motor Vehicles began phasing out permanent or "lifetime" disability parking placards in 2010, to help curb misuse. Some advocates and lawmakers are hoping more can be done to regulate how these passes are issued, and how misuse might be enforced.

This hour, we hear from Alexandria Bode, who is behind the accessible parking-focused non-profit, Peace Love & ACCESSibility, along with her family members and fellow advocates, Sam Bode and Mary Caruso.

House Republican Leader Vincent Candelora and Transportation Committee Co-Chair Senator Christine Cohen are their legislators, and both testified for SB 279 this session. The bill, which passed under a different name, requires that a person’s treating physician, PA or APRN certify the need for a pass, versus an online provider, for example. They also join us.

The Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles formed the Accessible Parking Advisory Council last year. DMV Commissioner Tony Guerrera discusses the latest after the council's second meeting.

East Haven Police Officer Joseph Murgo recently contributed to a PSA the Bodes' non-profit is producing. He also joins the conversation.

GUESTS:

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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Connecticut Public has spent the past year investigating political dysfunction, allegations of absentee ballot misconduct, and machine politics in Bridgeport.

The investigation has culminated in a four part series called “In Absentia.” Today, we hear episode 3 of this podcast and speak to members of The Accountability Project, Connecticut Public’s investigative team.

You can listen to all the episodes of In Absentia on ctpublic.org/bpt or wherever you get your podcasts.

GUESTS:

Bria Lloyd:Investigative Reporter for the Accountability Project (below right)

Jim Haddadin:Editor for The Accountability Project (below left)

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Where We Liveis available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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How do you listen to Connecticut Public or Where We Live? Your cell phone, car radio or something else?

This hour, we explore the many ways information can travel, and the history of how these devices were made. Hear Where We Live host Catherine Shen take a tour of the Vintage Radio and Communications Museum of Connecticut with Charles "Skip" Coulson, John Ramos, Peter Knight and Jeff Gross, some of the museum's many volunteers.

Plus, we hear from Lisa Kirk, one of the museum’s amateur radio operators or "hams." She discusses the museum's amateur radio club, and what it takes to become a ham.

GUESTS:

Lisa Kirk: Volunteer and ham radio operator at the Vintage Radio and Communications Museum in Windsor

Where We Liveis available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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Growing up as a transracial adoptee, Angela Tucker's friends, family, and even strangers would make comments and assumptions about what her life would have been like if she hadn’t been adopted.

Angela Tucker is the author of the book "You Should Be Grateful": Stories of Race, Identity, and Transracial Adoption and she is Executive Director of the Adoptee Mentoring Society.

Today, we talk about the intricacies of navigating life as a transracial adoptee. For years, adoption stories have been told from the point of view of the adoptive parents. Angela says it’s time to flip the script and let adoptees tell their stories.

Later, we hear from an adoption agency and learn about the type of conversations they have with potential transracial adoptive parents.

Check out the UConn Health Adoption Assurance Programto find more information about transracial adoption.

GUESTS:

Angela Tucker: Author of the book, "You Should Be Grateful": Stories of Race, Identity, and Transracial Adoption and Executive Director of the Adoptee Mentoring Society

Laura Sullivan:Chief Program Officer at Just Choice, a pro-choice adoption agency

Where We Liveis available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Cat Pastor contributed to this show which originally airedDecember 8, 2023.

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Colleges are spaces for open dialogue, debate, and even protest.

Student protesters have called for universities to divest from Israel.Today, we hear from students who have participated in encampments at Yale University and Wesleyan University.

We also speak with Davarian Baldwin, author of Shadow of the Ivory Tower and professor at Trinity college to get a better understanding on what divestment means, and how it might impact the financial future of many universities.

Wesleyan statement on campus protests

Yale statement regarding campus statement

GUESTS:

Chisato Kimura: Law Student at Yale University

Batya Kline:Student Organizer at Wesleyan University

Davarian Baldwin:Founding director of the Smart Cities Lab at Trinity College; author, In the Shadow of the Ivory Tower: How Universities are Plundering Our Cities

Where We Liveis available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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Heart disease has been the leading cause of death in the United States for decades, putting much of the focus squarely and rightly on cardiovascular disease. But what about congenital heart conditions, something affecting your heart since birth?

There are 13 million adults living with congenital heart disease, and that number has grown as treatments advance; survival rates have improved by 75% since the 1940s. But those diagnoses can come later in life, and even with sure signs, the need for specialized, lifelong care is often unmet.

This hour, we're joined by the co-authors of Healing Hearts and Minds: A holistic approach to coping well with congenital heart disease.

Plus, we hear from one of 50 clinics accredited by the Adult Congenital Heart Association in the U.S., right here in Connecticut.

GUESTS:

Tracy Livecchi:Social Worker; Co-Author, Healing Hearts and Minds: A holistic approach to coping well with congenital heart disease

Dr. Liza Morton: Psychologist; Co-Author, Healing Hearts and Minds

Dr. Robert Elder:Associate Professor of Pediatrics (Cardiology) and Internal Medicine (Cardiology); Director, Adult Congenital Heart Program; Director Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Program, Pediatric Cardiology

Cat Pastor contributed to this program which originally airedOctober 11.

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More workers than ever are working a hybrid work schedule - part time in the office and part time at home. According to a Gallup Poll, nearly 40% of hybrid workers can set their own schedule.

Yet burnout feels more apparent than ever before.

Many offices are searching to find solutions to provide better work-life balance including the four day work week. Today, we revisit this topic and explore others that claim to give employees more of their time back.

And we want to hear from you. What’s your schedule like in the office these days? Would you rather work a four day week?

GUESTS:

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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The Venice Biennale is the art world's most prestigious exhibition. It’s sometimes even called the "Olympics of Art," held annually in Italy. Right now, Pablo Delano, a Puerto Rico-born, Hartford-based artist, has an installation called “The Museum of the Old Colony” located in its central pavilion.

The installation collection is comprised largely of photographs and artifacts, all of which raise questions around America’s relationship with Puerto Rico, and the island's status as the world’s oldest colony. The “museum” also raises questions about the politics and institution of museums.

This hour, we hear from Delano.

Plus, Faisal Saleh with Palestine Museum US in Woodbridge discusses their unofficial collateral exhibit in Venice, "Foreigners without a Homeland," featuring 27 artists.

1 of 4An exhibit named “Foreigners in Their Homeland,” proposed by the Palestine Museum U.S., was not included in the 60th Venice Biennale. It is now an unofficial collateral event at Venice’s Palazzo Mora opening April 20.Provided / Faisal Saleh2 of 4An exhibit named “Foreigners in Their Homeland,” proposed by the Palestine Museum U.S., was not included in the 60th Venice Biennale. It is now an unofficial collateral event at Venice’s Palazzo Mora opening April 20.Provided / Faisal Saleh3 of 4An exhibit named “Foreigners in Their Homeland,” proposed by the Palestine Museum U.S., was not included in the 60th Venice Biennale. It is now an unofficial collateral event at Venice’s Palazzo Mora opening April 20.Provided / Faisal Saleh4 of 4An exhibit named “Foreigners in Their Homeland,” proposed by the Palestine Museum U.S., was not included in the 60th Venice Biennale. It is now an unofficial collateral event at Venice’s Palazzo Mora opening April 20.Provided / Faisal Saleh

GUESTS:

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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For this gardening hour, we’re talking about ecological gardening and gardening for the environment.

We’ll be touching on planting natives, using rain barrels, preparing your compost pile and more. We’ll also learn what plants can make your garden a pollinator oasis.

And we want to hear from you: what are you planting this year?

GUESTS:

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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You’re never too young to learn about climate change. Younger Americans are more likely to engage with the issue, according to research on Gen Z and Millennials from Pew.

This hour, we hear from the authors of three children’s books about climate change, and taking action, including UConn sociologist Dr. Phoebe Godfrey, meteorologist Paul Douglas, environmental scientist Lena Champlin, and resident in psychiatry Jeremy Wortzel.

GUESTS:

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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This week, reporters from the New England News Collaborative are recognizing Earth Day and focusing their reporting on the intersection of climate change and housing.

34% of the housing stock across New England is rented. Many solutions to making homes more climate friendly are mostly geared toward homeowners. But investing in energy efficient appliances and installing solar panels isn’t that feasible for renters. We learn what you can do to make your home more energy efficient as a renter.

Most homes are built with a few central materials: mainly steel and concrete. But as new buildings are constructed from homes to office spaces, a new material has been introduced to make buildings stronger, more energy efficient and more sustainable: wood.We learn more.

And later, we hear how one organization is working to create more green spaces in New Haven.

To learn more about the NENC and view more of their Earth Week reporting visit:https://www.nenc.news/earth-week

GUESTS:

Abigail Brone:Housing Reporter at Connecticut Public

Jonathón Savage:Executive Director of Gather New Haven

Abagael Giles:Climate and Environment Reporter at Vermont Public

Where We Liveis available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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The Environmental Protection Agency has finalized the first-ever federal limits on a class of chemicalled known as PFAS, or "forever chemicals," in drinking water.

This hour, we discuss what these enforceable limits mean for how Connecticut monitors and regulates PFAS. Department of Public Health Commissioner Manisha Juthani joins us, plus Connecticut Mirror investigative reporter Andrew Brown.

Plus, Attorney General William Tong touches on the lawsuits he filed against chemical manufacturers of PFAS.

GUESTS:

William Tong:Connecticut Attorney General

Dr. Manisha Juthani:Commissioner, Connecticut Department of Public Health

Andrew Brown: Investigative Reporter, Connecticut Mirror

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During the last fiscal year, the army alone missed their recruiting goal by 25%. All branches of the military are struggling to recruit new cadets.

With an all-volunteer service, the military relies on recruitment efforts to get more people to serve. But fewer Americans than ever are eligible to do so. And attracting the next generation of cadets has been a challenge.

Today, we talk about the military recruiting crisis. We will hear from Captain Benjamin Keffer, Commanding Officer of Coast Guard Recruiting Command.

Later, we hear how someextremist groups are working to get veterans and others with tactical experience into their organizations.

GUESTS:

Dr. Nora Bensahel:Professor of the Practice at theJohns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studiesand a Contributing Editor, War on the Rocks

Captain Benjamin Keffer:Commanding Officer of Coast Guard Recruiting Command

Sonner Kehrt:Investigative Reporter at the War Horse and Coast Guard Veteran

Where We Liveis available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Cat Pastor contributed to this show which originally aired onOctober 6, 2023.

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Nearly one in four adults who contracted COVID-19 have developed long COVID symptoms, according to the latest Census report.

This hour, Dr. Akiko Iwasaki, an immunobiology expert at Yale who is focused on researching long COVID, joins us to share what we know and don't know about the illness, and the many ways it can manifest.

The Patient-Led Research Collaborative has authored several seminal surveys and studies. We also hear from co-founder Lisa McCorkell about this bank of patient-led research. She says, "We need a moonshot for long COVID: at least a billion dollars a year in research funding to adequately address this crisis."

Plus, Yale American Studies professor Dr. Daniel HoSang has written about the “twin pandemics” of COVID-19 and racism. He joins us to reflect on the four-year mark of the virus, and the links he sees to the long COVID response.

GUESTS:

Dr. Daniel HoSang:Professor of American Studies, Yale University; Co-Author, Under the Blacklight: The Intersectional Vulnerabilities that the Twin Pandemics Lay Bare

Dr. Akiko Iwasaki: Co-Lead Investigator, Yale COVID-19 Recovery Study; Sterling Professor of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine; Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Lisa McCorkell:Co-Founder, Patient-Led Research Collaborative

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Although church attendance has dwindled across all faiths, 39% of Catholics say they attend services at least once a week.

The Archdiocese of Hartford includes over 400,000 Catholics across the state of Connecticut, and is now being overseen by a new Archbishop.

After years of service, Archbishop Leonard Paul Blair will be succeeded by the newly appointedCoadjutor Archbishop Christopher Coyne, who recently served as a Bishop in Burlington, Vermont.

Today, we talk about the future of the Catholic Church, serving the Catholic population in Connecticut and a recent document published by the Vatican and its statements on gender identity and gender affirming surgery, surrogacy, and human dignity.

GUESTS:

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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Throughout history, our state has made some big contributions to aviation technology. Today, we’re talking about the history and future of aviation in our state. We hear from some aviation enthusiasts who’s love of all things plane is going to make you soar.

The New England Air Museum houses some unbelievable vintage aircrafts. We hear from them. And we hear from someone with experience flying in some of these vintage aircrafts.

If flying in a vintage plane is not your speed, there are more ways you can tap into your inner pilot. There are many model plane clubs here in all four corners of Connecticut. We learn how you can get involved.

GUESTS:

Stephanie Abrams: President & CEO of the New England Air Museum

Mike Thornton: Curator of the New England Air Museum

Edward Deming: President of the RC Propbusters of Salem, CT

Bob Creter: crew chief and docent for D-Day Squadron in Oxford, Connecticut

Cat Pastor contributed to this episode which originally aired onFebruary 2.

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For adults on the autism spectrum, getting services can be a challenging task to navigate.

A new bill passed last year means that more autistic adults could receive services from the state from the Connecticut Autism Waiver.

But services still remain limited. There is currently a ten year waiting list to receive the waiver leaving thousands scrambling for services. Today, we talk about the Connecticut Autism Waiver program.

Later, we hear about businesses working to make their establishments more accommodating to neurodiverse clientele.

GUESTS:

Jimna Miller:Co-Chair of Autism Advisory Council and Volunteer

Jennifer Twachtman-Bassett:Autism Clinical Specialist and Research Coordinator at Connecticut Children's Hospital

Emma McKeever(left): resident of Glastonbury who is currently on the Autism Waiver Waitlist

Pam McKeever: resident of Glastonbury and parent of autistic adult

Sarah Spear:CEO and Founder of Empowered Together

Where We Liveis available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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In Connecticut, the Asian American and Pacific Islander community is vast and varied, with more than 170,000 AAPI people in the state.

And with a diversity of AAPI cultures, there is also a diversity of New Year traditions and celebrations that span across months. We’re just days away from the Laotian New Year and Thai New Year, as well as a Khmer New Year event hosted by the Cambodian Buddhist Society of Connecticut in Bristol.

This hour, we’ll discuss the diversity of Lunar New Year celebrations where we live, and unpack some of the debate around terminology.

GUESTS:

Quan Tran:Co-chair, Asian Pacific American Coalition of Connecticut; Senior Lecturer on Race, Ethnicity and Migration, Yale University

Sounthaly Thammavong: Board Member, Asian Pacific American Coalition of Connecticut

Mike Keo: Senior Communication Officer, Hartford Foundation for Public Giving; Founder, #IAMNOTAVIRUS

Connecticut Public intern Sajina Shrestha contributed to this report.

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Starting with the class of 2027, all Connecticut high school students are now required to take a financial literacy course.

April is National Financial Literacy Month, and today, we hear from those that advocated to get this course work in schools.

For many, personal finance is just that - it’s deeply personal.

Later, we hear about efforts to offer financial literacy courses to adults, and the opportunities to learn about financing beyond high school.

GUESTS:

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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Today, Connecticut is expected to enjoy a partial solar eclipse, the most intense since 1924. That’s according to local astronomer and Wesleyan professor Dr. Meredith Hughes. Still, the Federal Highway Administration says 5 million Americans could be traveling to the path of totality.

This hour, we discuss the science of the eclipse, and how to safely enjoy it, with Dr. Hughes. Plus, "umbraphile" or eclipse-chaser Kate Russo explains why these natural phenomena are such a unifying social event.

Wesleyan University is prepared to host hundreds of onlookers, with four solar telescopes in operation. We'll hear from one astronomy student who’s helping to ensure the event is accessible to Spanish speakers.

GUESTS:

Dr. Meredith Hughes:Associate Professor of Astronomy, Wesleyan University

Carlos Ordoñez:Astronomy Student, Wesleyan University

Kate Russo: Author,Being in the Shadow: Stories of the First-Time Total Eclipse Experience; Psychologist

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Five percent of bridges in Connecticut are in “poor condition.”

Today, we talk about what needs to be done to update the bridges and roads in our state, and we talk about the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. We hear from The Accountability Project from right here at Connecticut Public.

And later, we hear about the infrastructure workforce and the training needed to staff these jobs.

We’ll also talk about the future of green infrastructure, a small solution to increased rainfall and subsequent flooding.

GUESTS:

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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Author Garrard Conley published his first book in 2016, "Boy Erased". The bestselling memoir, relaying Conley's experience undergoing conversion therapy at 19, inspired a major motion picture two years later.

This hour, Conley discuss his newest book and his first foray into fiction. "All the World Beside" explores queerness in Puritan New England. Set in 1700s Massachusetts and inspired by Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter," an affair unfolds between Arthur Lyman, a physician, and Nathaniel Whitfield, a reverend.

GUESTS:

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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Beloved Muppet Elmo recently asked social media a simple question, "How is everybody doing?" The answers ranged from incredulous to raging. The trauma-dumping on Elmo begged the question: Are we burnt out?

Burnout has been reported in many industries: Connecticut Public has previously covered burnout in health care, and among early child care educators and teachers, for example. WhenWhere We Livecovered burnout in the nonprofit world in 2022, our phone lines were flooded.

This hour, we hear from Emily Ballesteros, a management coach and the author of the new book, The Cure for Burnout. She defines the phenomenon, and fields your questions.

Plus, Elizabeth Thompson is a local news researcher focused on burnout in local journalism.

A 2020 report from UNC found that more than one-quarter of American newspapers had shut down since 2005, forcing more than half of all local journalists out of the industry, and "leaving many remaining newsrooms staffed by a small number of reporters burdened by excessive workloads and unable to dedicate themselves to particular topics of local interest."

GUESTS:

Emily Ballesteros:Management Coach; Author, The Cure for Burnout

Elizabeth Thompson: Local News Researcher, Center for Innovation and Sustainability in Local Media at the University of North Carolina

Where We Liveis available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Cat Pastor contributed to this show that originally aired February 29, 2024.

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In a 2022 survey from CT Humanities, only 26% of Connecticut residents had said they had visited a museum in-person in the last two years. Some 83% of those museum-goers identified as white.

There are many museums where we live working to open their doors to a broader public, and to engage their local community more meaningfully. We’ve covered some of those efforts on this program, including over the course of the Yale Peabody Museum’s four-year renovation process. We even got a sneak preview of one of the museum’s partnerships with local artists, celebrated New Haven-based artist and architect Mohamad Hafez's "Eternal Cities."

Last week, the museum reopened to the public, now 50% larger and with free admission. There are some familiar and many new exhibitions, as well as new research facilities and eight classrooms staffers hope will be used by schools in the area.

This hour, we hear from curators, educators and students about their hopes for the new Peabody. Plus, producer Katie Pellico takes a tour with director David Skelly and associate director of exhibitions Kailen Rogers.

GUESTS:

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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You’ve heard of Bigfoot and Nessie, but did you know Connecticut is home to a host of creatures, or "cryptids"?

Cryptozoology is the study of animals whose existence is a matter of debate. While Bigfoot sightings have been reported where we live, sea serpents, the Glastonbury Glawackus, and plenty of others call Connecticut home.

This hour, we hear from Patrick Scalisi and Valerie Ruby-Omen, the author and illustrator of a new field guide to this cast of Connecticut cryptids.

Plus, Stephen Olbrys Gencarella explains how folklore can deepen our understanding of these fantastic creatures, and how the stories about them are shaped over time.

Patrick Scalisi: Author, Connecticut Cryptids: A Field Guide to the Weird and Wonderful Creatures of the Nutmeg State

Valerie Ruby-Omen:Illustrator, Connecticut Cryptids

Stephen Olbrys Gencarella:Professor of Folklore Studies, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Where We Liveis available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Cat Pastor contributed to this show that originally aired on January 18, 2024.

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Longtime U.S. Senator Joseph Lieberman has died at 82. His family said he died due to complications from a fall. His wife, Hadassah, and members of his family were with him when he passed.

Lieberman represented Connecticut in the U.S. Senate for more than two decades. In 2000, he made history as the first Jewish American on a major party’s presidential ballot when he became Al Gore’s running mate.

This hour, be talking about his legacy, and we want to hear from you. Our newsroom has been compiling tributes from elected officials across Connecticut. We’ll be hearing from some of them this hour, including Senator Richard Blumenthal.

GUESTS:

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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"An act of translation is always an act of betrayal."

This idea, and the questions it inspires, are central to author Rebecca or RF Kuang’s 2022 novel, Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution.

As the title promises, the book also explores the nature of revolution and the "necessity of violence," in addition to those complex questions surrounding the art of translation.

This hour, we revisit our conversation with the author, which was focused on the award-winning book, during an event organized by local bookseller RJ Julia.

On the importance of student revolutions, Kuang reflects, "The student's weakness is precisely his allure. The fact that the student is so naïve and doesn't have the jadedness of somebody who's been through more; the fact that students are dreamers, that they are romantic idealists; that kind of hope, that kind of ability to imagine an alternate future is beautiful and it matters and I hope we keep seeing that."

GUESTS:

RF or Rebecca Kuang: Award-winning author of the Poppy Wartrilogy, Babel: An Arcane History,Yellowface, and Katabasis (forthcoming). She has an MPhil in Chinese Studies from Cambridge and an MSc in Contemporary Chinese Studies from Oxford; she is now pursuing a PhD in East Asian Languages and Literatures at Yale.

Where We Liveis available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

This episode originally aired December 18, 2023.

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The curly hair movement – and market – is growing, as more people learn to style and to celebrate their natural hair.

This hour, we hear from one salon that’s just for natural curls in Connecticut. Luvena Leslie opened The Curly Hair Salon in 2011. "So many people have had bad experiences before they come to us," Leslie says.

Viola Clune, a Yale student and editor of the New Journal, recently wrote a piece about salons like Leslie's, and the work they do to untangle "hair trauma," titled "Kinks in the Movement." She joins the conversation.

Clune writes that The Curly Hair Salon "exists as a contradiction, intervention, remembrance, and stagnation at once. The ever-growing salon industry in New Haven suggests that there is something complementary about these contradictions, something inherent about them..."

Plus, the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford has a new exhibit all about the optics and politics of hair. A curator joins us to discuss Styling Identities: Hair’s Tangled Histories, on view through August 11. We also hear from one archivist who contributed to the exhibition and created an accompanying zine.

GUESTS:

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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Today, we're airing the first and second episode of the new podcast Unforgotten.

It’s a history lesson many of us didn’t get in school: Slavery has deep roots in Connecticut and across New England. Enslaved people helped build the foundation of much of this state.

In this five-episode podcast from reporter and producer Diane Orson and editorial consultant and curator Frank Mitchell talk about efforts to shed light on this history and they explore why it matters.

Visit ctpublic.org/unforgotten to learn more, including videos, photos and digital stories.

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In 2023, more than 6 million animals entered shelters and rescues in the U.S., according to a recent report from Shelter Animals Count. Believe it or not, those numbers are down from pre-pandemic reports.

Over the summer, Connecticut news outlets reported that animal shelters in our state were "bursting at the seams" and unable to keep up with calls from people trying to surrender pets.

This hour, we’ll be checking back in with some of those pet shelters. How is the so-called "pandemic boomerang" affecting them now?

Plus, we’ll switch gears and talk to farm animal and wildlife rescues in Connecticut. Whether you’ve got questions about your pandemic puppy or a stray opossum you think might need some help, join the conversation.

GUESTS:

Laura Burban:Director, Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter in Branford

Marla C. Riley: MSN, MBA, RN; President and Founder, The Riley Farm Rescue in Canterbury

Pamela A. Lefferts:Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator, Ferncroft Wildlife Rescue in Woodstock

Cat Pastor contributed to this episode which originally airedFebruary 5, 2024.

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A multi-year investigative report has shown that High Road Schools, a group of eight publicly funded, privately run schools for children in special education, must make improvements. 

The report cites several incidents of teachers without proper certification managing classrooms,overuse of restraint and seclusion, and a total lack of proper education for “the state’s most vulnerable students.” 

Today, we hear from the authors of this report: the Office of the Child Advocate and Disability Rights Connecticut. You can read the full report here.

If you have a student at High Road Schools, or if you're a parent navigating special education, we want to hear from you.

The Connecticut State Department of Education and High Roads Schools have responded to this report. You can view their response to investigation

GUESTS:

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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This hour, we preview several historical exhibits spotlighting local artists, many of whom were touched by the Pop Art Movement percolating just over the border in New York. This includes prolific artist couple Leo Jensen and Dalia Ramanauskas. We'll explore what it means to be an artist in community — in Connecticut or New York — and how Pop Art changed that.

1 of 6The exhibit "Avant Colony: Unearthing the Westbrook Gallery" is currently running through March 31 at Ely Center of Contemporary Art in New HavenEric Litke / Ely Center of Contemporary Art in New Haven2 of 6Saturday Night: New London, ca 1935, is on view in "Beatrice Cuming: Connecticut Precisionist," through May 26 at Lyman Allyn Art Museum.Provided / Tanya Pohrt / Lyman Allyn Art Museum3 of 6Bell Buoys on the Dock, ca. 1937, is on view in "Beatrice Cuming: Connecticut Precisionist," through May 26 at Lyman Allyn Art Museum.Provided / Tanya Pohrt / Lyman Allyn Art Museum4 of 6Leo Jensen (1926–2019), Baseball Machine, 1963. Painted wood, mixed media kinetic sculpture, 90 x 76 x 23 in. Collection of the Artist.Provided / Florence Griswold Museum5 of 6Leo Jensen (1926–2019), The Lure of the Turf, 1963. Wood, steel, 90 x 63 x 22 1/2 in. Collection of the Artist.Provided / Florence Griswold Museum6 of 6Leo Jensen (1926–2019), Secrets of a Home Run Hitter, 1964. Polychromed wood and mixed media assemblage (electric), 39 x 40 x 8 in. Collection of the Artist.Provided / Florence Griswold Museum

February 4 – March 31: Avant Colony: Unearthing the Westbrook Gallery at the Ely Center of Contemporary Art in New Haven

February 10 – April 14: Art in Play: Leo Jensen at the Lyman Allyn Art Museum in New London

February 20 – May 19: Fun & Games? Leo Jensen's Pop Art at the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme

"Dalia Ramanauskas: As We Embark" just wrapped up at the Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury, and an exhibit dedicated to William Kent is in the works at the New Haven Museum.

GUESTS:

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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Flannel and blue jeans - these staples are the backbone of American fashion and the textile industry. Are they part of your wardrobe?

Textiles, fabrics and clothing is a dying industry here in the U.S. But author Steven Kurutz says that some makers and creators are trying to change that.

New York Times reporter and author Steven Kurutz joins us today to talk about his new book American Flannel: How a Band of Entrepreneurs are bringing the art and business of making clothes back home.

We hear about the rise and decline of this industry. We’ll also learn about the history of mills right here in Connecticut, and local artisan joins us to talk about their efforts to bring back the American mill.

GUESTS:

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Maurice Sendak is often celebrated for his contributions to children’s book art. You’re likely familiar with Where The Wild Things Are, or even Higglety Pigglety Pop. But in the late artist’s own words, "I do not believe that I have ever written a children's book. I do not know how to write a children’s book. How do you set out to write a children’s book?"

This hour, we’re exploring the Maurice Sendak Foundation in Ridgefield, where Sendak lived for forty years. There, the many layers of his artistic legacy live on, with the help of the experts and friends who knew and loved him best. We hear from them.

Twelve years after the artist's passing, the Foundation and HarperCollins are releasingTen Little Rabbits.

GUESTS:

Lynn Caponera:President and Treasurer, Maurice Sendak Foundation

Dr. Jonathan Weinberg:Curator, Maurice Sendak Foundation

Cat Pastor contributed to this episode which originally airedFebruary 12, 2024.

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Around the globe, artists are using their mediums to show how climate change is impacting our planet.

Today, we’re exploring the convergence of art and science. We'll be talking with artists using their craft to have conversations about the environment.

Earlier this year, Where We Live talked about how snow loss is impacting our ecosystems and community here in Connecticut. Today, we hear from Lynn Cazabon, the artist behind the multidisciplinary project “Losing Winter” who will join us from Australia.

But first up, we’re hearing from the Mattatuck Museum. The exhibit “Sea Change | See Change” is raising awareness of how climate change is impacting our oceans.

GUESTS:

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Cat Pastor contributed to this show that originally aired on February 6, 2024.

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Tri-state area or New England? Nutmeg or Constitution State? "Stuffy, preppy, sleepy"? What really makes Connecticut Connecticut, and what stereotypes can we stand to shake off?

After the state's recent rebranding effort, it's a debate that has found its way to the national stage. This hour, Catherine Shen is joined by a roundtable of Connecticut Public hosts, as we debate what defines Connecticut.

And we want to hear from you. What characterizes or typifies where you live? What do you think people get wrong or right about Connecticut's reputation?

GUESTS:

Colin McEnroe: Host, The Colin McEnroe Show

Chion Wolf:Host, Audacious with Chion Wolf

Dr. Khalilah Brown-Dean:Host, Disrupted

Dr. Jonathan Wharton:Associate Professor of Political Science and Urban Affairs, Southern Connecticut State University; Columnist, CT News Junkie and Hearst Connecticut

Cat Pastor contributed to this episode which originally aired on January 25, 2024.

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According to the National Institutes of Health, average body weight drastically increased across the board for men and women during the pandemic lockdown.

Simply eating less and exercising more hasn’t been that effective when it comes to weight loss. In efforts to fight weight stigma, doctors are embracing a new idea that weight loss isn’t all about willpower and health is defined by more than just someone’s weight.

In 2021, the FDA approved Semaglutide for weight loss for the general population. Doctors and patients are flocking to get this medication.

Children over the age of 12 are now eligible to be prescribed this drug as well. Many celebrities have confirmed their personal use of the drugs, including Oprah. Influencers across the social sphere are partnering with pharmaceutical companies to promote the drugs.

Today, we talk about these drugs, and combating weight stigma in and out the doctor’s office.

GUESTS:

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate

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In late January, Reuters reported that “some 70 U.S. cities, including Chicago and Seattle, have passed resolutions on the Israel-Gaza war," with the majority calling for a cease-fire.

Several Connecticut city and town councils have considered resolutions calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

Bridgeport passed one of these non-binding agreements in January, Hartford City Council recently rejected a resolution, and Hamden’s Town Council is considering one. In New Haven, organizers staged an open hearing for a ceasefire at City Hall on Monday, after they say the Board of Alders "ignored" their requests.

Coming up, we discuss the significance of these local resolutions with Eddy Martinez, Connecticut Public breaking news reporter, plus University of Hartford politics and government expert Bilal Sekou, and Dartmouth University professor of government Dr. Nadia Brown.

But first, NPR national security correspondent Greg Myre discusses the significance of Sunday’s announcement, and the very latest around diplomatic negotiations.

GUESTS:

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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For kids today, there’s a whole new career path: social media influencer. In fact, 57 percent of Gen Zs say they’d be an influencer. But some young people aren’t waiting to become social media influencers; they’re already ones.

These parent-run, kid centric accounts aren't all brand deals, and free merchandise. A new investigation by the New York Times showcases the darker side of the Kidfluencer world.

Today, we hear about the realities of working in this space — and how some young people are advocating to get their privacy back.

GUESTS:

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate

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Librarians in Connecticut say the number of book ban requests they’re fielding is still "soaring," and that the focus is on content relating to LGBTQIA+ identity and themes. Librarians have even looked to lawmakers for support.

This hour, we get the latest from state and national Library Associations.

But first, advocates and lawmakers hosted a vigil at the State Capitol last week for Nex Benedict, the teenager who died after a fight in the school bathroom in Oklahoma. Keith Brown with Gay Spirit Radio reports.

GUESTS:

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate

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Applying for financial aid is no easy task. Whether you’re the parent or the incoming student. And a new FAFSA form hasn’t made things any easier.

The online FAFSA form - or the Free Application for Federal Student Aid was recently updated. But it’s come with a lot of glitches causing headaches for students and parents alike.

Today on Where We Live, we talk about what’s happening with this form and how universities are responding.

We’ll also talk about how some universities here in Connecticut are working to eliminate student loans from their financial aid packages.

GUESTS:

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate

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Beloved Muppet Elmo recently asked social media a simple question, "How is everybody doing?" The answers ranged from incredulous to raging. The trauma-dumping on Elmo begged the question: Are we burnt out?

Burnout has been reported in many industries: Connecticut Public has previously covered burnout in health care, and among early child care educators and teachers, for example. When Where We Live covered burnout in the nonprofit world in 2022, our phone lines were flooded.

This hour, we hear from Emily Ballesteros, a management coach and the author of the new book, The Cure for Burnout. She defines the phenomenon, and fields your questions.

Plus, Elizabeth Thompson is a local news researcher focused on burnout in local journalism.

A 2020 report from UNC found that more than one-quarter of American newspapers had shut down since 2005, forcing more than half of all local journalists out of the industry, and "leaving many remaining newsrooms staffed by a small number of reporters burdened by excessive workloads and unable to dedicate themselves to particular topics of local interest."

GUESTS:

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate

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Two years ago, Russia invaded Ukraine and launched a full scale attack on the country. This hour, we hear what life looks like in Ukraine today and how Ukrainian refugees are adjusting to life in the United States. Since the recent invasion, many Ukrainians have made the difficult decision to leave the region, while others have stayed behind.

Americares, a humanitarian aid organization based here in Connecticut has worked to bring in over 300 tons of medical aid to the region. But providing mental health first aid is becoming as important as providing medical first aid.

Ukrainian refugees are also seeking mental health support, but finding Ukrainian speaking therapists and support systems is a challenge. We hear from those working to help this population and hear how refugees are adjusting to life here in the United States.

GUESTS:

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Quantum mechanics is a theory that even some scientists have trouble wrapping their heads around. But this industry is booming, and some physicists here in Connecticut are hoping to make our state the “Quantum Corridor” for research, workforce development and education.

In May 2023, “the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a $1 million federal planning grant to Yale University and the University of Connecticut toward developing quantum technology related businesses in Connecticut.”

Today, we hear about this project and learn about the future of quantum. We’ll attempt to answer the question: “what is quantum mechanics?” We only have an hour, but we will try our best.

We’ll hear how this field could eventually touch every area of science.

GUESTS:

Michael DiDonato:UConn Tech Park Business Development Manager, and QuantumCT UConn Project Manager

Steven Girvin:Eugene Higgins Professor of Physics at Yale

Dr. Brian Sullivan:High School STEM teacher teaching physics, calculus and statistics at the Wooster School, a private co-educational school in Danbury Connecticut

Cat Pastor contributed to this episode which originally airedJanuary 16, 2024.

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Paula Poundstone has had a nearly 45 year career in standup comedy. She’s the host of the comedy podcast, Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone.

And we would be remiss not to say, She is also a regular panelist on NPR's comedy news quiz show, Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me!

Today, she joins us for the hour. And like her comedy, we kind of touched on everything! We get into her signature stand up style, never shying away from engaging the audience, and making each show a little unique.

If you’ve seen Paula on one of her many stand up specials, or maybe live in person, you probably know that talking with the audience is a big part of her routine. And you can experience her comedy firsthand this weekend. She’ll be performing at the Infinity Music Hall in Hartford on Saturday, February 24.

GUEST:

Paula Poundstone: standup comedian

Where We Liveis available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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This hour, we sit down with Connecticut Department of Public Health Commissioner Manisha Juthani to tackle a range of topics and questions, including what's on your mind.

How have you fared this flu season? What questions about COVID-19, or long COVID, do you have?

According to data from the Census Bureau, 23% of adults in Connecticut who tested positive for COVID-19 have experienced symptoms lasting longer than three months.

We also discusss recent reports about possible changes in guidance from CDC, reported shortages in mental health services for kids, implementation for Connecticut's health care worker ratio law, and more.

GUESTS:

Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate

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For a Connecticut family of four, it costs over $126,000 just to meet their basic needs, according to a recent United Way report. That’s more than four times the federal poverty level.

Food insecurity is a big part of the problem, affecting more than 1 in 10 Connecticut residents, according to Connecticut Foodshare. A new report from the United States Department of Agriculture found the national rate of food insecurity jumped by more than 2% from 2021 to 2022, now 12.8% of U.S. households.

This hour, UConn's Dr. Caitlin Caspi joins us to address some of the misconceptions around food insecurity.

"Food insecurity isn't happening in a vacuum," she says. "It's really intersecting with a lot of other challenges that people face," including stable housing, health insurance, job security, disability, and other factors. "Food insecurity isn't primarily a story about food," says Dr. Caspi. "It's about many facets of economic instability."

Plus, we'll discuss some of Connecticut Foodshare’s efforts to address food insecurity where we live, including an income-based grocery store coming soon to Hartford, where food insecurity rates are highest in the state.

Hartford High School just launched the Grub Pub, an in-school pantry. Principal Flora Padro joins us later in the hour, describing the "new normal" she envisions.

GUESTS:

Dr. Caitlin Caspi:Associate Professor, University of Connecticut's Department of Allied Health Sciences; Director of Food Security Initiatives, Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health

Jason Jakubowski:President & CEO, Connecticut Foodshare

Ben Dubow: Executive Director, Forge City Works

Flora Padro:Principal, Hartford High School

Cat Pastor contributed to this episode which originally airedOctober 26, 2023.

Where We Liveis available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate

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Dating in 2024 can be tough. There are no shortage of stories about dating in the age of Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, and more!

But today, we're going to talk about dating, and falling in love, when you're an older adult. Last fall, the spinoff show “The Golden Bachelor” started a national conversation about falling in love in midlife and beyond.

Today we hear from experts about dating in this age range, and we’ll even get to hear some love stories that will put "The Notebook" to shame.

And if you are dating or have fallen in love, at any age, we want to hear from you!

GUESTS:

Dr. Kristina Zdanys: Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Division Chief for Geriatric Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at UConn Health

Chip Conley: Founder & CEO of the Modern Elder Academy

Where We Liveis available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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Disability rights advocates in Connecticut are demanding better medical access.

And this legislative session, they’re pushing lawmakers to pass two bills. Both aim to improve medical equipment and training, and access to better care when examining, diagnosing and treating patients with disabilities.

We hear from one advocacy group involved in this effort, the Citizens Coalition for Equal Access, or CC=A. Public Health Committee Co-Chair and State Sen. Saud Anwar also shares his hopes for the pair of bills — one focused on medical diagnostic equipment, the other on lifts — which he helped to draft after an informational hearing with disability rights advocates across Connecticut last September.

Where We Live heard from eight members of CC=A prior to this program, who talked about some of their negative experiences in the medical setting. As Jamie Mosier shared, "Something has to be passed to make sure we get what I need, that we get what everybody needs, before we're all dead."

Plus later today, wheelchair users and advocates across the state will gather at the State Capitol. They plan to rally in support of the "transformational recommendations by the legislative Wheelchair Repair Task Force to tackle the absurd delays faced by 90% of roughly 5,000 CT consumers."

Task Force member and consumer advocate Jonathan Sigworth joins us to discuss this legislative push.

GUESTS:

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Approximately half of U.S. adults reported experiencing loneliness, even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The issue recently moved U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy to issue an advisory around the "loneliness epidemic" in America.

Soon after, Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy introduced a bill that would launch an Office of Social Connection Policy, and fund CDC research to "better understand the epidemic of social isolation and loneliness."

While on The Colin McEnroe Show in July, Murphy said the move was "part of a broader exploration for me of what is eating in America... I have come to the conclusion that there's a lot of new and unique things that are hurting Americans and making them feel unhappy today," chief among them loneliness or "aloneness."

This hour, we explore how loneliness, isolation and social disconnection are being addressed where we live. Deb Bibbins and Gary Sekorski founded For All Ages, and more recently, the Connecticut Collaborative to End Loneliness, to help bolster and centralize resources.

How does loneliness or isolation affect you?

GUESTS:

Deb Bibbins:Co-Founder and Chair, For All Ages; Co-Founder, Connecticut Collaborative to End Loneliness

Gary Sekorski:Co-Founder and Chair, For All Ages; Co-Founder, Connecticut Collaborative to End Loneliness

Connie Malone: Canton Resident

Siri Palreddy: Senior at Amherst College

Dr. Sowmya Kurtakoti: Chief of Geriatric Medicine, Hartford Hospital

Cat Pastor contributed to this episode which originally airedSeptember 18, 2023.

Where We Liveis available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Maurice Sendak is often celebrated for his contributions to children’s book art. You’re likely familiar with Where The Wild Things Are, or even Higglety Pigglety Pop. But in the late artist’s own words, "I do not believe that I have ever written a children's book. I do not know how to write a children’s book. How do you set out to write a children’s book?"

This hour, we’re exploring the Maurice Sendak Foundation in Ridgefield, where Sendak lived for more than forty years. There, the many layers of his artistic legacy live on with the help of the experts and friends who knew and loved him best. We hear from them.

Twelve years after the artist's passing, the Foundation and HarperCollins are releasing Ten Little Rabbits

GUESTS:

Lynn Caponera:President and Treasurer, Maurice Sendak Foundation

Dr. Jonathan Weinberg:Curator, Maurice Sendak Foundation

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February is Black History Month. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday was in January. Around this time, we often see his quotes circulate on social media. And we also hear about his legacy as an activist and a minister, and his fight for civil rights in the U.S.

Today, we’re going to listen back to a recent interview with Clarence B. Jones. Clarence B. Jones was one of the many giants of the civil rights movement. He served as personal counsel to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He was also his speech writer and personal friend.

John Henry Smith spoke with him earlier this year about his work in the civil rights movement and we’ll hear about his thoughts of where civil rights is today.

GUESTS

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate

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For decades, there were cities and towns that were all-white on purpose. These communities are known as "sundown towns." Because this practice was both formal and informal, researchers put together a database of these laws, customs and firsthand accounts, under the leadership of the late sociologist and civil rights champion James Loewen.

At the peak of the exclusionary practice in 1970, an estimated 10,000 communities across the U.S. kept out African-Americans through "force, law, or custom." Many sundown suburbs also excluded Jewish and Chinese Americans, and other minority groups.

There are 40 towns listed as possible or probable past sundown towns in Connecticut. This hour, we hear about this history and what it can tell us. You can add to this research too.

GUESTS:

Dr. Stephen Berrey: Assistant Professor of American Culture and History, University of Michigan

Logan Jaffe:Reporter, ProPublica

Paul Saubestre:Volunteer Researcher, Hamden Historical Society

Cat Pastor contributed to this episode which originally airedNovember 27, 2023.

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Around the globe, artists are using their mediums to show how climate change is impacting our planet.

Today, we’re exploring the convergence of art and science. We'll be talking with artists using their craft to have conversations about the environment.

Earlier this year, Where We Live talked about how snow loss is impacting our ecosystems and community here in Connecticut. Today, we hear from Lynn Cazabon, the artist behind the multidisciplinary project “Losing Winter” who will join us from Australia.

But first up, we’re hearing from the Mattatuck Museum. The exhibit “Sea Change | See Change” is raising awareness of how climate change is impacting our oceans.

GUESTS:

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2023, more than 6 million animals entered shelters and rescues in the U.S., according to a recent report from Shelter Animals Count. Believe it or not, those numbers are down from pre-pandemic reports.

Over the summer, Connecticut news outlets reported that animal shelters in our state were "bursting at the seams," and unable to keep up with calls from people trying to surrender pets.

This hour, we’ll be checking back in with some of those pet shelters. How is the so-called "pandemic boomerang" affecting them now?

Plus, we’ll switch gears and talk to farm animal and wildlife rescues in Connecticut. Whether you’ve got questions about your pandemic puppy, or a stray opossum you think might need some help, join the conversation.

GUESTS:

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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Throughout history, our state has made some big contributions to aviation technology. Today, we’re talking about the history and future of aviation in our state. We hear from some aviation enthusiasts who’s love of all things plane is going to make you soar.

The New England Air Museum houses some unbelievable vintage aircrafts. We hear from them. And we hear from someone with experience flying in some of these vintage aircrafts.

If flying in a vintage plane is not your speed, there are more ways you can tap into your inner pilot. There are many model plane clubs here in all four corners of Connecticut. We learn how you can get involved.

If you're an aviation enthusiast, we want to hear from you!

GUESTS:

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate

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Heart disease has been the leading cause of death in the United States for decades, putting much of the focus squarely and rightly on cardiovascular disease. But what about congenital heart conditions, something affecting your heart since birth?

There are 13 million adults living with congenital heart disease, and that number has grown as treatments advance; survival rates have improved by 75% since the 1940s. But those diagnoses can come later in life, and even with sure signs, the need for specialized, lifelong care is often unmet.

This hour, we're joined by the co-authors of Healing Hearts and Minds: A holistic approach to coping well with congenital heart disease.

Plus, we hear from one of 50 clinics accredited by the Adult Congenital Heart Association in the U.S., right here in Connecticut.

GUESTS:

Tracy Livecchi:Social Worker; Co-Author, Healing Hearts and Minds: A holistic approach to coping well with congenital heart disease

Dr. Liza Morton: Psychologist; Co-Author, Healing Hearts and Minds

Dr. Robert Elder:Associate Professor of Pediatrics (Cardiology) and Internal Medicine (Cardiology); Director, Adult Congenital Heart Program; Director Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Program, Pediatric Cardiology

Cat Pastor contributed to this program which originally airedOctober 11. 

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Tri-state area or New England? Nutmeg or Constitution State? "Stuffy, preppy, sleepy"? What really makes Connecticut Connecticut, and what stereotypes can we stand to shake off?

After the state's recent rebranding effort, it's a debate that has found its way to the national stage. This hour, Catherine Shen is joined by a roundtable of Connecticut Public hosts, as we debate what defines Connecticut.

And we want to hear from you. What characterizes or typifies where you live? What do you think people get wrong or right about Connecticut's reputation?

GUESTS:

Find more about the show here: Where We Live

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During the last fiscal year, the army alone missed their recruiting goal by 25%. All branches of the military are struggling to recruit new cadets.

With an all-volunteer service, the military relies on recruitment efforts to get more people to serve. But fewer Americans than ever are eligible to do so. And attracting the next generation of cadets has been a challenge.

Today, we talk about the military recruiting crisis. We will hear from Captain Benjamin Keffer, Commanding Officer of Coast Guard Recruiting Command.

Later, we hear how someextremist groups are working to get veterans and others with tactical experience into their organizations.

GUESTS:

Dr. Nora Bensahel:Professor of the Practice at theJohns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studiesand a Contributing Editor, War on the Rocks

Captain Benjamin Keffer:Commanding Officer of Coast Guard Recruiting Command

Sonner Kehrt:Investigative Reporter at the War Horse and Coast Guard Veteran

Where We Liveis available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Cat Pastor contributed to this show which originally aired onOctober 6, 2023.

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This hour, photo and video journalist Yehyun Kim joins us to discuss A Diaspora in Focus, a three-part project she launched for the Connecticut Mirror in 2023. The project was in response to landmark legislation passed in the state that will require public schools to offer Asian American and Pacific Islander, or AAPI, history.

Yehyun interviewed and photographed one resident from each of the 21 Asian ethnicities as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, and this included our very own Catherine Shen. This hour, she joins us to discuss this moving series for the Connecticut Mirror.

As Yehyun explained, "It would be impossible for any single project to capture the totality of the Asian American experience in the state. But, when woven together, the lives of the people represented here provide a glimpse into the richness and diversity of Connecticut’s Asian residents."

Jenny Heikkila Díaz, or JHD, also joins us, to discuss their role in the photo project, as well as the state's AAPI curriculum development.

GUESTS:

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate

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As journalists, it’s been challenging for us to watch what is happening to our fellow members of the press in Gaza.

83 journalist casualties have occurred in this region. The blue press vest and helmet is a heavy weight to carry, for so many still trying to report what’s happening.

This week, we spoke with Plestia Alaqad. She is a 22 year old journalist from Gaza. She recently made the difficult decision to leave the region. 

This week, Where We Live spoke to her about her experience.

GUESTS:

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate

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Depending on where you live,warmer winters could mean less and less snow. In some places, it’s only one or two degrees that could make a difference.

Joining us today are two scientists looking at the data around snow in our region and beyond to start to calculate how much snow loss is impacting us, and what it means for our environment.

Less snow can mean a lot of things, including a big impact on winter sports. We also hear from a local ski resort.

And later, we learn about solastalgia.

GUESTS:

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2023 was the sixth rainiest year on record for Connecticut, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In July alone, more than 1,500 acres of Connecticut farmland flooded over, representing $21 million in lost sales revenue.

This hour, we hear from Chris Bassette of Killam & Bassette Farmstead in South Glastonbury, who says she is still holding out hope for relief for the nearly half-a-million dollars in losses she logged from July’s floods. We also get an update from State Department of Agriculture Commissioner Bryan Hurlburt.

Plus, the Hartford Flood Compensation Program is aimed at providing some short-term relief to residents who have been dealing with systemic flooding and sewage problems. State Comptroller Sean Scanlon is overseeing the program, and discusses the efforts to focus these funds on the North End of the Capital City.

Sharon Lewis is the Executive Director of the CT Coalition for Environmental Justice. Her North End home has been uninhabitable for over a year due to flooding and sewage in her basement and first floor. She joins us, along with Connecticut Mirror investigative reporter Dave Altimari.

GUESTS:

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate

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In our newsroom, we’ve been having a lot of conversations about how we cover the Israel-Hamas War. And sometimes, we find ourselves conflicted about who to talk to, what stories to cover, what language we use, and what we can do to make our coverage as fair and truthful as possible.

Where are you getting your information on the Israel-Hamas War? Odds are you're probably following the war through social media. According to the Washington Post, TikTok is drawing billions of views from #Palestine and #Israel.

As journalists, we understand that how the war is presented on social and news media can shape public opinion.

Today, we’re talking about just that.

GUESTS:

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Where We Live

Tess TerribleTess is a senior producer for Connecticut Public news-talk show Where We Live. She enjoys hiking Connecticut's many trails and little peaks, gardening and writing in her seven journals.See stories by Tess TerribleCatherine ShenCatherine is the Host of Connecticut Public’s morning talk show and podcast, Where We Live. Catherine and the WWL team focus on going beyond the headlines to bring in meaningful conversations that put Connecticut in context.See stories by Catherine ShenTOP HEADLINES

What to expect in the Bridgeport, Connecticut, do-over mayoral primary Quantum technology: What is it? Why does it matter? Where will it take CT? CT’s Sarah Russell gets committee nod for federal judgeship New Haven Pride Center expands services after moving to bigger space CT takes a leap forward with a new website to foster workforce growth

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You’ve heard of Bigfoot and Nessie, but did you know Connecticut is home to a host of creatures, or "cryptids"?

Cryptozoology is the study of animals whose existence is a matter of debate. While Bigfoot sightings have been reported where we live, sea serpents, the Glastonbury Glawackus, and plenty of others call Connecticut home.

This hour, we hear from Patrick Scalisi and Valerie Ruby-Omen, the author and illustrator of a new field guide to this cast of Connecticut cryptids.

Plus, Stephen Olbrys Gencarella explains how folklore can deepen our understanding of these fantastic creatures, and how the stories about them are shaped over time.

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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Quantum mechanics is a theory that even some scientists have trouble wrapping their heads around. But this industry is booming, and some physicists here in Connecticut are hoping to make our state the “Quantum Corridor” for research, workforce development and education.

In May 2023, “the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a $1 million federal planning grant to Yale University and the University of Connecticut toward developing quantum technology related businesses in Connecticut.”

Today, we hear about this project and learn about the future of quantum. We’ll attempt to answer the question: “what is quantum mechanics?” We only have an hour, but we will try our best.

We’ll hear how this field could eventually touch every area of science.

GUESTS:

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In 2015, journalist Elise Hu moved to South Korea to open the NPR Seoul bureau. During her time in South Korea, she witnessed the rise of K-beauty culture or “Korean beauty.”

K-beauty encompasses a multitude of beauty treatments. It doesn’t just include luxury skincare lines, and expensive facemasks; there's also LED light therapy, injections, fillers, and a myriad of options for plastic surgery.

These procedures are becoming an increasingly normal part of daily life in South Korea, but also in the United States. They are also more accessible than ever to anyone that wants to change the way they look.

Although some are starting to question the pursuit of keeping up with today’s beauty standards, this multibillion dollar beauty industry isn't going away.

Today, Elise Hu joins us on Where We Live to talk about her book Flawless: Lessons in Looks and Culture from the K-Beauty Capital.

We talk about the pursuit and pain of keeping up with today’s beauty standards.

GUEST:

Elise Hu: host of TED Talks Daily and also a host-at-large for NPR. She is the author ofFlawless: Lessons in Looks and Culture from the K-Beauty Capital

Where We Liveis available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Cat Pastor contributed to this show which originally airedSeptember 19, 2023.

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When an error was spotted in the Spanish-language instructions for the capital city’s ballot, just before the November election, officials moved to correct it. Advocates have said the error underscores the language access issues many Connecticut residents face, and the different kinds of Spanish-language mis- and disinformation there are to tackle.

Former Rhode Island Secretary of State and Pell Center senior cybersecurity fellow Nellie Gorbea recently hosted a workshop for Latino elected officials in Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts, to address mis- dis- and malinformation.

This hour, we discuss the layered issue of Spanish-language mis- and disinformation, and the efforts to address it.

Nellie Gorbea joins us, along with UConn's Dr. Charles Venator, to discuss the important role state and local governments play, particularly as the 2024 election approaches. Plus, Madeleine Bair is the founding director of El Tímpano, a news outlet that recently trained over 100 Latino immigrants in disinformation defense.

GUESTS:

Dr. Charles Venator:Faculty Director, UConn's Puerto Rican Studies Initiative; Director, El Instituto: Institute of Latino, Caribbean, and Latin American Studies

Madeleine Bair:Founding Director, El Tímpano

Nellie Gorbea: Visiting Senior Fellow on Cybersecurity, Pell Center for International Relations and Public Policy; Former Secretary of State, Rhode Island

Cat Pastor contributed to this episode which originally airedDecember 7, 2023.

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Growing up as a transracial adoptee, Angela Tucker's friends, family, and even strangers would make comments and assumptions about what her life would have been like if she hadn’t been adopted.

Angela Tucker is the author of the book "You Should Be Grateful": Stories of Race, Identity, and Transracial Adoption and she is Executive Director of the Adoptee Mentoring Society.

Today, we talk about the intricacies of navigating life as a transracial adoptee. For years, adoption stories have been told from the point of view of the adoptive parents. Angela says it’s time to flip the script and let adoptees tell their stories.

Later, we hear from an adoption agency and learn about the type of conversations they have with potential transracial adoptive parents.

If you have a personal experience with adoption, we want to hear from you.

Check out the UConn Health Adoption Assurance Programto find more information about transracial adoption.

GUESTS:

Angela Tucker: Author of the book, "You Should Be Grateful": Stories of Race, Identity, and Transracial Adoption and Executive Director of the Adoptee Mentoring Society

Laura Sullivan:Chief Program Officer at Just Choice, a pro-choice adoption agency

Where We Liveis available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Cat Pastor contributed to this show which originally airedDecember 8, 2023.

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No matter where you live, the opioid epidemic has likely touched you or someone you know.

Now, a state committee set up to allocate settlement funds from opioid manufacturers and distributors has just issued its first reporting of disbursements at the municipal level.

The stakes are high. Connecticut has some of the highest opioid death rates in the country. Each month, more than 100 people die in Connecticut from an opioid overdose. More than 9,000 overdose deaths have been documented since 2015, and the vast majority of these fatal overdoses are linked to opioids or, increasingly, to synthetic opioids or proxies.

After years of litigation, major opioid manufacturers and distributors have begun paying $600 million in settlement funds to Connecticut over the next 20 years. Those funds are intended to be allocated in ways that prevent future opioid deaths, a process the state’s 45-member Opioid Settlement Advisory Committee will help oversee.

This hour, we’ll hear from Christine Minhee who oversees one of the only national databases tracking opioid settlement spending. Minhee is "astounded" by Connecticut's first round of municipal reporting, and the level of detail as to how and where those dollars are headed.

We'll also hear from William Tong, Connecticut Attorney General, and advocates in our region who are working to reframe how we talk about and treat the opioid epidemic.

GUESTS:

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A content warning to our listeners: today we will be talking about suicide.

United States saw nearly 50,000 deaths by suicide in 2022, and suicide continues to be on the rise. 

Talking openly about suicide and mental health can be a critical part of deterring suicide deaths. But having those discussions can be really challenging and experts say there are specific ways to conduct these conversations delicately.

Later, we hear from Connecticut Urgent Crisis Centers.

If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can go online to 988lifeline.org or dial 9-8-8.

GUESTS:

Aneri Pattani: Senior Correspondent for KFF Health News

Ann Dagle: President and Co-founder of the Brian Dagle Foundation and Tri-chair of Connecticut Suicide Advisory Board

Dr Laine Taylor:Medical Director for The Village for Families and Children

Where We Liveis available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Cat Pastor contributed to this show which originally airedSeptember 29, 2023.

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Whether it's reading more books or eating out less, January is the month of goals and challenges. Veganuary is no exception.

The 30-day plant-based challenge originated nearly a decade ago and has since taken on a life of its own. We’ll hear from three different vegans working in the plant-based space about their journey to becoming vegan and what it means to them.

What do you want to know about the lifestyle?

GUESTS:

Wendy Matthews:U.S. Director, Veganuary

Candice Hutchings: Creator, The Edgy Veg

Mackenzie Sullivan: Co-Founder, Ellie Mae Farm Sanctuary in Storrs

Cat Pastor contributed to this episode which originally airedJanuary 20, 2023.

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There are approximately 2.45 million people who need humanitarian assistance in Gaza. And the entire population is now at risk of famine. That’s according to Save the Children, an international NGO and humanitarian aid organization based in Connecticut.

Today, we hear from Janti Soeripto, President & CEO of Save the Children.

And later, Where We Live has been covering the Israel-Hamas War, and exploring how the conflict and history of this region has been captured through the arts. We hear from Palestinian American poet and community activist Zeina Azzam.

She is the current poet laureate of Alexandria, Virginia and She is also the Author of Some Things Never Leave You.

GUESTS:

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Each year, we broadcast nearly 200 episodes of programming. As 2023 comes to a close, we are highlighting some of our favorite conversations.

Today, we’re sharing three important interviews on mental health and trauma. Senior Producer Tess Terrible shares her favorite conversations on these topics.

First up, we’re going to listen back to our conversation with Kate Dias: President of Connecticut Education Association. She spoke with us about school shootings, lockdown drills, and how they’re impacting student and teacher mental health.

At the start of the Israel-Hamas War, we zoomed in on trauma in that region — and the ripple effects here in the U.S. In our second segment, we hear from Dr. Julian Ford, Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Connecticut Health Center. We also hear from Steve Sosebee, President and Founder of the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund and Rabbi Debra Cantor from the B’nai Tikvoh-Sholom Synagogue.

And later, we hear from Deb Bibbins: Founder and CEO, For All Ages; Connecticut Collaborative to End Loneliness and local efforts to address the loneliness epidemic.

Full episodes:

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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As we approach the end of the year we’ve been reflecting on our favorite conversations throughout 2023. Host Catherine Shen chose her most memorable moments, all about music.

First, we discuss the power of nostalgia and the memories music can carry, with John Ondrasik, frontman for Five for Fighting. The soft-rock band topped the charts in the early 2000s with songs like "Superman" and "100 Years."

Eric George Lopez, or ericdoa, has been described as the "face of hyperpop," a newer music genre born out of 2000s electronic music. But in many ways, the "genre-bending" up-and-coming artist defies categorization. He discusses his upbringing in Connecticut, how he developed his sound and what makes Gen Z uniquely powerful in the arts.

Plus, Ashley Hamel discovered her love of music while growing up in Connecticut. The singer-songwriter eventually left New England behind to build her music career in Indonesia. She joined us from Jakarta to talk about her new single, "New England Baby."

Full episodes:

A conversation with Five for Fighting frontman John Ondrasik

CT-based Gen Z trailblazers: Musician ericdoa, K-pop dance crew SEOULAR, and designer MINIPNG

Ashley Hamel takes her music to new heights abroad, plus a look at the ticketing industry

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As we round out 2023, we’re looking back on some of our favorite conversations on Where We Live, with the voices that moved us.

This hour, producer Katie Pellico shares some of her favorite moments, with a focus on history and the efforts to retell or tell a fuller story.

First up, we hear from the team of students and scholars at Yale University working to study the history of eugenics, the role the institution played in developing this pseudoscience, and more. Daniel HoSang, Professor of Ethnicity, Race, Migration and American Studies at Yale University, leads the Anti-Eugenics Collective at Yale University.

We'll also preview our conversation with Chris Newell, Connecticut-based educator and member of Passamaquoddy Tribe, who recently wrote a book for children about the story of Thanksgiving. If You Lived During the Plimoth Thanksgivinghelps to untangle some of the myths and misnomers commonly associated with the Thanksgiving story, titled.

Later, we hear from Andy Horowitz, the new Connecticut State Historian, about his hopes for his term.

Full episodes:

Uncovering the history of eugenics at Yale University, and its 'afterlives'

Rewriting the Thanksgiving story, while centering Indigenous voices

Andy Horowitz is the new Connecticut State Historian

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We often think of the holidays as a time to gather with family. But the reality might look a little different. It can be a challenging time if you have a strained relationship with your family. It can also be difficult for those estranged from family.

Family estrangement can occur for a number of reasons. And there is a lot of stigma around cutting ties with family. But research says it’s more common than we think.

Family estrangement is complicated. Today, talk to two people who have experienced this first hand.

Have you been effected by family estrangement?

GUESTS:

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Trains may often be billed as a toy for tots, but there are locomotive-lovers of all ages where we live. This hour, go for a ride on the Naugatuck Railroad at the Railroad Museum of New England, and one holiday train tailored for children on the autism spectrum.

Plus, Yale New Haven Children's Hospital is home to a toy train display that sparks joy in children and adults alike.

GUESTS:

Christine Faressa: Founder and President, Sun, Moon & Stars

Orion Newall:Passenger Operations Director, Naugatuck Railroad

Ebony Wright: Registered Nurse; Assistant Patient Service Manager, Pediatric Specialty Center at Yale New Haven Children's Hospital

Walt Zawalich: Volunteer Trains Curator, Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital and Eli Whitney Museum

Cat Pastor contributed to this episode which originally airedDecember 21, 2022.

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If you’ve ever struggled driving through Hartford, you’re certainly not alone.

Today, the Connecticut Department of Transportation joins us to discuss the Greater Hartford Mobility Study. Now that it is complete, stakeholders are working to implement some big projects to make Hartford a better city to live in. But it’s going to take some time, possibly even a few decades to implement.

We take a look at a multi-decade plan to improve driving and mobility throughout the greater Hartford area. We learn what could be done to increase walkability, livability and transit throughout this region.

If you’re a resident of this area, we want to hear from you! What would you like to see done to upgrade the greater Hartford area?

And later, we learn about a klezmer band hailing out of New Haven that will celebrate its 25th anniversary this year.

GUESTS:

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"An act of translation is always an act of betrayal."

This idea, and the questions it inspires, are central to author Rebecca or RF Kuang’s 2022 novel, Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution.

As the title promises, the book also explores the nature of revolution and the "necessity of violence," in addition to those complex questions surrounding the art of translation.

This hour, we revisit our conversation with the author, which was focused on the award-winning book, during an event organized by local bookseller RJ Julia.

On the importance of student revolutions, Kuang reflects, "The student's weakness is precisely his allure. The fact that the student is so naïve and doesn't have the jadedness of somebody who's been through more; the fact that students are dreamers, that they are romantic idealists; that kind of hope, that kind of ability to imagine an alternate future is beautiful and it matters and I hope we keep seeing that."

GUESTS:

RF or Rebecca Kuang: Author

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When it comes to certain fandom and cosplay communities, getting your costume right is key, or you might get called out for not being 100% accurate. But Steampunk is a little different.

It’s retro, but it’s futuristic. It’s Victorian, but you can also just go vintage. It's corsets, but also cogs, coils and gadgets. Steampunk, a subgenre of science fiction, is all about retro futuristic technology and being as creative as possible. But Steampunk is not just about fashion! 

Today, we dive into the world of Steampunk and hear from the Steampunk Scholar.

Later, we hear from the Connecticut Audubon Society on the 2023 State of the Birds.

GUESTS:

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Ralph Nader doesn’t often praise big business leaders, but his new book, The Rebellious CEO, profiles a dozen who he says "did it right."

This hour, we hear from the consumer crusader from Connecticut.

In this extended interview, he discusses his new book and the need for visionary business leaders today, as well as his upbringing and recent journalism venture in Winsted.

He also touches on the letter he co-authored to President Biden, urging him to pull back support for Israel; his thoughts ahead of the 2024 election, and the role of third-party candidates; the oversights he'd like to see in various industries, including Big Tech and the pharmaceuticals; his concerns about media consumption and fragmentation; and the importance of carving out time for civic duty.

Reflecting on his legacy, Nader reinforces the importance of civic duty and the power of the individual, asking, "What are we waiting for? It takes a lot less civic power than we think, to turn our country around."

GUESTS:

Ralph Nader: Consumer Advocate; Former Presidential Candidate; Host, Ralph Nader Radio Hour;Founder, American Museum of Tort Law

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Connecticut is one of 41 states that is suing Meta, the parent company of both Facebook and Instagram. The suit is alleging that Meta is knowingly using addictive algorithmic tactics that are harmful to their users.

Today, we give an update on social media regulation and we hear from an activist and researchers working to make these spaces safer. We hear from Connecticut Attorney General William Tong.

We also hear from Emma Lembke. In February, she testified before a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Child Internet Safety. She is the Founder of the Log Off Movement, a youth-led organization committed to helping kids, teens, and young people build healthy relationships with social media and online platforms.

GUESTS:

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Heart disease has been the leading cause of death in the United States for decades, putting much of the focus squarely and rightly on cardiovascular disease. But what about congenital heart conditions, something affecting your heart since birth?

There are 13 million adults living with congenital heart disease, and that number has grown as treatments advance; survival rates have improved by 75% since the 1940s. But those diagnoses can come later in life, and even with sure signs, the need for specialized, lifelong care is often unmet.

This hour, we're joined by the co-authors of Healing Hearts and Minds: A holistic approach to coping well with congenital heart disease.

Plus, we hear from one of 50 clinics accredited by the Adult Congenital Heart Association in the U.S., right here in Connecticut.

GUESTS:

Tracy Livecchi:Social Worker; Co-Author, Healing Hearts and Minds: A holistic approach to coping well with congenital heart disease

Dr. Liza Morton: Psychologist; Co-Author, Healing Hearts and Minds

Dr. Robert Elder:Associate Professor of Pediatrics (Cardiology) and Internal Medicine (Cardiology); Director, Adult Congenital Heart Program; Director Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Program, Pediatric Cardiology

Cat Pastor contributed to this program which originally airedOctober 11. 

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Growing up, as a transracial adoptee, Angela Tucker friends, family and even strangers would make comments and assumptions about what her life would have been like if she hadn’t been adopted.

Angela Tucker is the author of the book, You Should Be Grateful": Stories of Race, Identity, and Transracial Adoption and she is Executive Director of the Adoptee Mentoring Society.

Today, we talk about the intricacies of navigating life as a transracial adoptee. For years, adoption stories have been told through the point of view of the adoptive parents. Angela says it’s time to flip the script and let adoptees tell their stories.

Later, we hear from an adoption agency and learn about the type of conversations they have with potential transracial adoptive parents.

If you have a personal experience with adoption, we want to hear from you.

To find more information about transracial adoption, check out the UConn Health Adoption Assurance Program.

GUESTS:

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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When an error was spotted in the Spanish-language instructions for the capital city’s ballot, just before the November election, officials moved to correct it. Advocates have said the error underscores the language access issues many Connecticut residents face, and the different kinds of Spanish-language mis- and disinformation there are to tackle.

Former Rhode Island Secretary of State and Pell Center senior cybersecurity fellow Nellie Gorbea recently hosted a workshop for Latino elected officials in Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts, to address mis- dis- and malinformation.

This hour, we discuss the layered issue of Spanish-language mis- and disinformation, and the efforts to address it.

Nellie Gorbea joins us, along with UConn's Dr. Charles Venator, to discuss the important role state and local governments play, particularly as the 2024 election approaches. Plus, Madeleine Bair is the founding director of El Tímpano, a news outlet that recently trained over 100 Latino immigrants in disinformation defense.

GUESTS:

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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Turtles are among one of the oldest reptiles to walk the planet. Although turtles often live long lifespans and are among some of the most resilient animals on the planet,human presence has meant a huge threat to their species. 

In her new book Of Time and Turtles,Sy Montgomery says turtles live “slow.” She spent time working with the people who have dedicated their lives to rehabilitating these fascinating creatures, and she joins us to talk about her book.

And Matt Patterson, fellow turtle lover, illustrator of this book and their accompanying picture book The Book of Turtles,joins us too. He is also a wildlife artist and sculptor.

We'll learn about what’s being done to care for and protect these animals.

GUESTS:

Sy Montgomery:Author of Of Time and Turtles

Matt Patterson:Illustrator of The Book of Turtles and wildlife artist

Where We Liveis available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Cat Pastor contributed to this show which originally airedOctober 3, 2023.

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The Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History is reopening early next year after four years of renovations.

Celebrated Syrian-American artist and architect Mohamad Hafez just installed a new piece, titled “Eternal Cities,” alongside the museum’s Babylonian collection. 3D-printed replicas of ancient Babylonian artifacts are peppered throughout the piece, bridging the millennia between ancient Mesopotamia and present-day Syria.

"It's a collaboration between educational archaeological museums, and local artists that come from the region that are working and living in the diaspora," says Hafez, "and at the crux of it, it solves a problem of engaging people in a very short attention span times, getting more interest built into these objects beyond just looking at them in a glass vitrine."

This hour, Mohamad joins us along with two of the museum’s curators. The new Peabody aims to position itself as a more community-centered space in New Haven. How can museums include the local communities they serve?

GUESTS:

Mohamad Hafez: Artist and Architect

Kailen Rogers:Associate Director of Exhibitions, Yale Peabody Museum

Agnete Lassen:Associate Curator, Yale Babylonian Collection

Where We Liveis available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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The holiday season is a time we all want to enjoy. Maybe that means indulging in more food than usual, buying those special gifts and treats for loved ones, and going all out with decorations in your home.

But with all that indulgence, comes a lot of waste. At the end of the holiday season, an additional 1 million tons of trash enter landfills. According to Stanford University's Waste Reduction, Recycling, Composting and Solid Waste Program, household waste increases by more than 25% from Thanksgiving to New Year’s. This comes from various sources including wrapping paper, Christmas trees and even food waste.

But experts say there are easy ways to reduce your carbon footprint and have a greener holiday season. Today, we talk about ways to reduce holiday waste.

GUESTS:

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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From the Mayflower's landing, to the meal shared by English setters and Wampanoag people, much is still widely misunderstood about the Thanksgiving holiday and its history.

Connecticut-based educator Chris Newell recently wrote a book for children that helps to untangle some of the myths and misnomers commonly associated with Thanksgiving. For example, the book clarifies that "the holiday we celebrate today does not have any real connection to the Mayflower’s landing. In fact, the story that links them was not created until two hundred years later."

As Newell notes in his introduction, "The story of the Mayflower landing is different depending on whether the storyteller viewed the events from the boat or from the shore." This hour, Chris Newell joins us.

Plus, how is this topic being reframed in Connecticut classrooms? The Connecticut State Department of Education recently published resources for "Teaching Native American Studies." The materials were developed in a collaboration between the five state-recognized Eastern Woodland tribes: Golden Hill Paugussett, Mashantucket Pequot, Mohegan, Paucatuck Eastern Pequot and Schaghticoke.

Becky Gomez, the director of education for the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, and Sam Tondreau, a member of the Mohegan Tribe as well as their director of curriculum and instruction, discuss.

GUESTS:

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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Every winter in Connecticut, the snowy owls will pass through our state and can sometimes be spotted at the Connecticut shoreline. But they are just one of many owl species to look out for where we live.

Some cultures see owls as deeply spiritual creatures and as symbols of wisdom. Others see them as bad omens and as signs of impending doom.And that’s definitely impacting their populations.

Today, Author Jennifer Ackerman joins us to talk about her new book What the Owl Knows: The new science of the world’s most enigmatic birds and we explore the world of these incredible birds.

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For decades, there were cities and towns that were all-white on purpose. These communities are known as "sundown towns." Because this practice was both formal and informal, researchers put together a database of these laws, customs and firsthand accounts, under the leadership of the late sociologist and civil rights champion James Loewen.

At the peak of the exclusionary practice in 1970, an estimated 10,000 communities across the U.S. kept out African-Americans through "force, law, or custom." Many sundown suburbs also excluded Jewish and Chinese Americans, and other minority groups.

There are 40 towns listed as possible past sundown towns in Connecticut. This hour, we hear about this history and what it can tell us. You can add to this research too.

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For a Connecticut family of four, it costs over $126,000 just to meet their basic needs, according to a recent United Way report. That’s more than four times the federal poverty level.

Food insecurity is a big part of the problem, affecting more than 1 in 10 Connecticut residents, according to Connecticut Foodshare. A new report from the United States Department of Agriculture found the national rate of food insecurity jumped by more than 2% from 2021 to 2022, now 12.8% of U.S. households.

This hour, UConn's Dr. Caitlin Caspi joins us to address some of the misconceptions around food insecurity.

"Food insecurity isn't happening in a vacuum," she says. "It's really intersecting with a lot of other challenges that people face," including stable housing, health insurance, job security, disability, and other factors. "Food insecurity isn't primarily a story about food," says Dr. Caspi. "It's about many facets of economic instability."

Plus, we'll discuss some of Connecticut Foodshare’s efforts to address food insecurity where we live, including an income-based grocery store coming soon to Hartford, where food insecurity rates are highest in the state.

Hartford High School just launched the Grub Pub, an in-school pantry. Principal Flora Padro joins us later in the hour, describing the "new normal" she envisions.

GUESTS:

Dr. Caitlin Caspi:Associate Professor, University of Connecticut's Department of Allied Health Sciences; Director of Food Security Initiatives, Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health

Jason Jakubowski:President & CEO, Connecticut Foodshare

Ben Dubow: Executive Director, Forge City Works

Flora Padro:Principal, Hartford High School

Cat Pastor contributed to this episode which originally airedOctober 26, 2023.

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Approximately half of U.S. adults reported experiencing loneliness, even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The issue recently moved U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy to issue an advisory around the "loneliness epidemic" in America.

Soon after, Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy introduced a bill that would launch an Office of Social Connection Policy, and fund CDC research to "better understand the epidemic of social isolation and loneliness."

While on The Colin McEnroe Show in July, Murphy said the move was "part of a broader exploration for me of what is eating in America... I have come to the conclusion that there's a lot of new and unique things that are hurting Americans and making them feel unhappy today," chief among them loneliness or "aloneness."

This hour, we explore how loneliness, isolation and social disconnection are being addressed where we live. Deb Bibbins and Gary Sekorski founded For All Ages, and more recently, the Connecticut Collaborative to End Loneliness, to help bolster and centralize resources.

How does loneliness or isolation affect you?

GUESTS:

Deb Bibbins:Co-Founder and Chair, For All Ages; Co-Founder, Connecticut Collaborative to End Loneliness

Gary Sekorski:Co-Founder and Chair, For All Ages; Co-Founder, Connecticut Collaborative to End Loneliness

Connie Malone: Canton Resident

Siri Palreddy: Senior at Amherst College

Dr. Sowmya Kurtakoti: Chief of Geriatric Medicine, Hartford Hospital

Cat Pastor contributed to this episode which originally airedSeptember 18, 2023.

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Declining college enrollment has opened up a bigger conversation about the value of a college degree. From 2010 to 2021, undergraduate enrollment dropped by 15%.This declining trend in college enrollment was magnified by the pandemic, when perceptions of the value of a degree really began to shift.

The decision making process for potential college students has become more personalized. Potential students have access to alternative pathways, and the ones that do go to college have needs that aren’t often met by the current model of college education.High costs, conflicting work schedules, and concerns ROI are barriers that affect a person's decision.

This shift away from degree requirements, restarting financial aid payments in October 2023,and the social conversations about college undoubtedly cause us to wonder who should go to college.

Today, we talk about the college conversation.

GUESTS:

Steve Schneider:High School Counselor at Sheboygan South High School in Sheboygan, Wisconsin

Katharine Meyer: a Fellow in Governance Studies and Higher Education Researcher at the Brookings Institution.

Courtney Brown:Vice President of Impact and Planning at Lumina Foundation

Where We Liveis available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Connecticut Public Talk Show Intern Joey Morgan produced this broadcast.

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How do museums act as places of discovery, dialogue, and healing?

These spaces engage with critical, often complex, issues important to the communities they serve. For two weeks, we're spotlighting two museums where we live doing just that, and speaking with Dr. Macushla Robinson about the power of art and curation.

Last week, we took a tour of Palestine Museum US in Woodbridge. It’s the first museum in the country centering Palestinian arts and culture, with a mission of humanizing Palestinian people.

This hour, we’ll spend time at the Museum of Jewish Civilization at the University of Hartford, a teaching museum where artifacts and photography help center Jewish history and culture.

Amy Weiss, the museum's director, explains that personal narratives help tell the complex history of American Jews, a group that is not monolithic. "The overarching message is the importance of democracy and the fight against fascism," she says.

What role do museums play in your community?

GUESTS:

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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There have been a lot of things that have revolutionized how educators teach in the classrooms. Things like Wikipedia, Google and even calculators have caused temporary panic in the education space. 

Now that ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence tools are becoming a central part of our everyday lives, some educators are scrambling to rethink their curriculum. If you ask the artificial intelligence app, ChatGPT, to write you a 500 page essay on the themes in Moby Dick, in a matter of seconds, you’ll have a well written paper.

Even further, you can even tell ChatGPT “write me a 500 word essay on the themes of Moby Dick, in the voice of a 10th grader” and the essay will reflect the tone and language of the average 15 year old.

When ChatGPT was first released, we took a deep dive into AI ethics and learned how it might education. And today, we get an update and we talk to teachers around the state and hear how they are actuallyutilizingAI in the classroom.

GUESTS:

Jeff Young:Editor of EdSurge, an education journalism initiative

Tom Deans:Professor of English and Director of the University Writing Center at the University of Connecticut

Erica Strong:Literacy Coach at Lebanon Middle School

John Allen:Social Studies Teacher  at Putnam High School

Where We Liveis available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Cat Pastor contributed to this show which originally airedSeptember 15, 2023.

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Social studies education in Connecticut public schools has been getting a major revamp. It’s something we’ve covered on this program. This includes the statute requiring local Indigenous history that rolled out this year, and a statute in 2022 calling for Asian American and Pacific Islander studies, rolling out in the fall of 2025.

The state legislature combined many of these mandates in 2021, calling for a "model curriculum." This curriculum should include Native American studies and AAPI studies, the bill stated, in addition to LGBTQ studies, climate change, financial literacy, military service and veterans, civics, media literacy, the principles of social-emotional learning, and racism.

It was a long list and a tall order, and prompted the Connecticut State Department of Education to gather a group of experts on all of these fronts, and construct a new set of social studies standards. This hour, we hear from some of them and preview that document.

GUESTS:

Steve Armstrong:Social Studies Advisor, Connecticut State Department of Education; Past President, National Council for the Social Studies

Tony Roy:President, Connecticut Council for the Social Studies; Social Studies Teacher, Bloomfield Public Schools

Dr. Brittney Yancy: Assistant Professor of History and African American Studies, Illinois College

Dr. Michael Bartone:Assistant Professor, Central Connecticut State University's Department of Literacy, Elementary, and Early Childhood Education

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