Disrupted - podcast cover

Disrupted

Connecticut Public Radioctpublic.org

Disrupted is about the changes we all encounter and the forces driving those changes. Some disruptions spark joy and possibility. Others move us to take action and re-evaluate our world. But the show isn't just about those disruptions; it’s about embracing them, exploring new perspectives, and feeling more connected to ourselves and our communities. Host and political scientist Khalilah Brown-Dean creates a place where changemakers come together to help us see the world differently and challenge us to grow together.

Visit ctpublic.org/disrupted for more! 

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Episodes

The future is female: The next generation of women leaders

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

Mar 08, 202349 min

Cartoonists Jerry Craft and Barbara Brandon-Croft are drawing outside of the color lines

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

Mar 01, 202349 min

The state of Connecticut's cannabis industry from 'Clean Slate' to equity joint ventures

This hour on Disrupted , we're taking a look at cannabis in Connecticut after the first month of legal sales. We’ll talk with Ben Zachs and Kennard Ray— equity partners of Fine Fettle in Manchester. Their store is Connecticut's first equity joint venture cannabis dispensary, part of a program that offer economic partnerships to people who have lived in areas disproportionately affected by drug-related convictions and high unemployment. The location opened on February 17th. We'll also hear from D...

Feb 22, 202349 min

Why mothering is 'Essential Labor' with Angela Garbes

This hour on Disrupted , we're challenging long-held assumptions about parents and caregivers. First, Angela Garbes, author of Essential Labor: Mothering as Social Change , explains how care workers are undervalued. She touches on the way the early days of the pandemic spotlighted issues in caregiving and why the legacy of American colonialism in the Philippines influenced both her family history and the disproportionate number of Filipinx nurses who died from COVID. Then, UConn professor Kari A...

Feb 15, 202349 min

State Treasurer Erick Russell talks CT Baby Bonds and policy priorities

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

Feb 08, 202349 min

Stephanie Foo talks about healing from complex trauma and the need for culturally responsive mental health care

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

Feb 01, 202341 min

Exploring revitalization projects in Hartford and New Haven

We examine how funding at different levels of government impacts urban revitalization efforts across Connecticut. CT Mirror/CT Public Federal Policy reporter Lisa Hagen outlines the government spending bill that was passed in December and how Connecticut will appropriate its earmarked funds. We’ll hear from Dr. Karen DuBois-Walton, President and CEO of Elm City Communities and The Glendower Group; they are redeveloping older low-income properties into what she calls “Housing of Choice” for strug...

Jan 25, 202349 min

Beyond her novels, Zora Neale Hurston was a pioneering anthropologist

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

Jan 18, 202349 min

The context of Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest and UConn women’s basketball’s challenging season

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

Jan 11, 202349 min

Clint Smith traces U.S. history through sites of slavery in 'How the Word is Passed'

After a statue of General Robert E. Lee came down in his hometown of New Orleans, Dr. Clint Smith began visiting sites like Monticello Plantation and Angola Prison to learn more about the ramifications of slavery in the United States today. It became the basis for his best-selling book, How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America . On this week's Disrupted , he joins us to talk about what he learned while researching the book. Smith is the recipient of the 2022...

Jan 04, 202349 min

The conversation around long COVID and other chronic conditions is changing

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

Dec 21, 202249 min

From 12 community colleges to 1: A new Connecticut State Community College

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

Dec 14, 202241 min

NXTHVN and poet Antoinette Brim-Bell talk about community and collaboration through art

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

Dec 07, 202249 min

Understanding the impact of Nazi racism and American Jim Crow laws

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

Nov 30, 202249 min

Theologian Candice Marie Benbow on creating her own relationship with God

Organized religion plays an important role in many Americans' lives. But the Christian church isn't always a welcoming place. This week, one woman’s journey of connecting with God in and outside the confines of organized religion. And how she's on a mission to make faith more accessible to everyone. GUESTS: Candice Marie Benbow: Theologian , Essayist, Columnist, and Educator. She is the author of the new book Red Lip Theology: For Church Girls Who've Considered Tithing to the Beauty Supply Store...

Nov 23, 202249 min

Failed innovations and their impact on our world today

History is littered with promising innovations that failed to live up to their hype. This week on Disrupted, a look at three revolutionary but doomed disruptions and their legacy on our world today. What became of the made-up language Esperanto, the music streaming platform Napster, and the once-popular treatment for mental illness, the lobotomy? GUESTS: Andrew Scull: Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Science Studies at the University of California, San Diego. He is the author of the upco...

Nov 16, 202249 min

The historical forces impacting wrongful convictions, as witnessed in New Haven

This hour, we talk with Pulitzer Prize nominee Nicholas Dawidoff. His latest book, The Other Side of Prospect: A Story of Violence, Injustice and The American City , examines a wrongful conviction in New Haven, and what that case says about inequality around the country.And we talk to journalist and filmmaker Soledad O'Brien about the importance of diversifying newsrooms, and about her new documentary on Rosa Parks. Soledad O'Brien will be moderating a Connecticut Forum conversation with U.S. Su...

Nov 09, 202249 min

Understanding gender roles and bias in early childhood development

According to Professor of Developmental Psychology Christia Spears Brown, focusing on gender labels for children has a major impact on how those children view the world. This hour on Disrupted, we explore how kids experience gender and stereotypes, and including how parents impart biases on their children, and what we can do about it. We also hear from a professor of English who breaks down the language we use around gender and about her story growing up as a queer child in Bloomfield, Connectic...

Nov 02, 202249 min

Can the pandemic help employers understand the needs of today's workforce?

The American working world has been flipped upside down. Since 2020, many employees have adapted to working from home, managing hybrid schedules and countless remote meetings. But as we look to a future with, hopefully, fewer pandemic disruptions, what temporary work practices will become permanent? And what can we expect for the future of work? We’ll also hear how the pandemic influenced the organized labor movement. And urbanist Richard Florida weighs in on how cities are transforming thanks t...

Oct 26, 202249 min

The forgotten and the powerful: A look at First Ladies and their influence

The First Lady of the United States is not an elected position. But even so, the office plays an important role in our government. This week on Disrupted, an Art Historian talks about the powerful First Ladies of American history who don't get the recognition they deserve. Also, how gender quotas are changing politics in Latin America. GUESTS: Gwendolyn DuBois Shaw: Class of 1940 Bicentennial Term Associate Professor of Art History at the University of Pennsylvania. Previously, she was the Senio...

Oct 19, 202249 min

Navigating politics at school and at home during 'dangerously divided times'

This hour on Disrupted, we explore how to communicate across the political divide. Mónica Guzmán joins us, author of 'I never thought of it that way: how to have fearlessly curious conversations in dangerously divided times' — and we hear about a controversial vocabulary worksheet at a Connecticut high school. Guests: Mónica Guzmán : Senior Fellow for Public Practice at Braver Angels , author of I Never Thought Of It That Way: How To Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided T...

Oct 12, 202241 min

New Haven judge Constance Baker Motley is a civil rights icon

Civil rights icons like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Justice Thurgood Marshall have become household names. But the historic work of New Haven native Constance Baker Motley is still unknown to many Americans. This week, a look into the life and legacy of the first Black woman appointed to a federal court in American history. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 05, 202239 min

Community and collaboration through art with NXTHVN and poet Antoinette Brim-Bell

Today on Disrupted, how artists in Connecticut are using their talents to empower their communities. Titus Kaphar and Jason Price co-founded NXTHVN , a nonprofit that brings artists from around the world to New Haven. They'll talk about how that organization is empowering young people. And, Connecticut’s 8th State Poet Laureate Antoinette Brim-Bell talks about the collaborations that are fueling her art. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....

Sep 28, 202249 min

How children's television has evolved since 'Sesame Street'

Children's programming has evolved significantly since Sesame Street first debuted on PBS in 1969. On this week's Disrupted, we revisit our conversation with actor Sonia Manzano, who played Maria on Sesame Street for more than 40 years. And we talk to a child psychologist who consulted on the creation of kids shows like Bear in the Big Blue House and Gullah Gullah Island . GUESTS: Sonia Manzano: Actress, best known for work as Maria on Sesame Street. She’s also the creator of the animated kids s...

Sep 14, 202249 minSeason 2Ep. 101

Reclaiming spiritual traditions like Hoodoo and Brujeria is connecting people to their heritage

This episode originally aired on November 10, 2021 Spiritual practices such as Brujeria and Hoodoo have long been portrayed by colonial powers as deviant or even evil. On this week's episode of Disrupted, we learn more about the history of these religions. And, take a look at the growing popularity of tarot through the art and legacy of Pamela Colman Smith. GUESTS: Yvonne Chireau: Professor of Religion at Swarthmore College and author of Black Magic: Religion and the African American Conjuring T...

Sep 07, 202249 minSeason 2Ep. 100

As 'Disrupted' nears its 100th episode, we look to its past and future

Disrupted debuted on Connecticut Public on October 7, 2020. At the time, the 2020 general election was still weeks away. The world was less than a year into the COVID-19 pandemic. And, the United States was grappling with the deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd at the hands of law enforcement. As we near our 100th episode, we invite three prominent former guests back to the program to take a look at the last two years. GUESTS: Eddie Glaude Jr.: James S. McDonnell Distinguished Professor of...

Aug 31, 202249 minSeason 2Ep. 99

How fashion influences what we wear and who we are

Historian Tanisha C. Ford says she was always obsessed with style, but it wasn't until she became a college student that she saw fashion as both being deeply connected to her fellow Black students and a site of appropriation by the mainstream. On this week's Disrupted , we revisit our conversation with Ford from this spring. We also look at the economic and environmental ramifications of the fast fashion industry. GUESTS: Tanisha C. Ford : Professor of History at The Graduate Center, CUNY and au...

Aug 24, 202249 minSeason 2Ep. 98

Recapping the wins, losses, and surprises of the Conn. primary election

Democratic and Republican voters cast their ballots last Tuesday during Connecticut's primary elections. On this week's episode of Disrupted, we take a look at the outcomes of local, state, and federal races. We also learn more about how shifting demographics, class, and low voter turnout could impact state politics in the coming years. GUESTS: Dan Haar: Columnist and Associate Editor at Hearst Connecticut Media Steven T. Moore: Assistant Professor of Government at Wesleyan University Lisa Hagen...

Aug 17, 202248 minSeason 2Ep. 97

Consumerism and inequality are shaping our relationship with technology

This week on Disrupted, we look at how technology influences us and how we influence technology. We speak with journalist Karen Hao about the ways artificial intelligence is mirroring historical European colonial practices. Policy expert Dr. Nicol Turner Lee joins us to talk about the state of digital privacy in post-Roe America. And, PC Mag's Sascha Segan talks about what the T-Mobile/Sprint merger means for consumers. GUESTS: Karen Hao: China Tech Reporter for the Wall Street Journal and the f...

Aug 10, 202249 minSeason 2Ep. 96
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