Baratunde Thurston is a bestselling author , has been nominated for an Emmy and gave a TED Talk that now has over a million views on YouTube. He's also the host of the PBS series America Outdoors with Baratunde Thurston . This hour, Baratunde opens up about everything from from doubting himself while attending an elite private school to the need for a rebirth of democracy. And he explains how America Outdoors with Baratunde Thurston has shaped the way he relates to people and other parts of the ...
Oct 04, 2023•39 min
This hour on Disrupted, we explore sports and mental health. The Fall sport season has begun. For some families, this will be their child’s first experience in competition. For others, their student athlete will continue competing in high school or college sports. As the competition level increases, the performance, academic and even social expectations can impact an athlete’s physical and mental health. Clinical Psychologist Dr. Ralph Dodd will discuss how the role of a sports psychologist has ...
Sep 27, 2023•49 min
This hour, we’re exploring the history of civil rights for Black Americans and how people can create change now. Professor Adriane Lentz-Smith gives us some context around the 60th anniversary celebration of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, which happened on the same day as the shooting in Jacksonville. And Professor Ruha Benjamin, who is being recognized with this year's Stowe Prize, talks about her book Viral Justice: How We Grow the World We Want . She discusses the small things ...
Sep 20, 2023•49 min
This hour, we take a look at anti-Chinese racism, anti-Asian racism and how government policy plays a role in both. Ava Chin discusses how the Chinese Exclusion Act continues to impact people today as we interview her about her book ' Mott Street: A Chinese American Family's Story of Exclusion and Homecoming .' And Russell Jeung, one of the co-founders of Stop AAPI Hate , talks about the historical precedent for the current wave of anti-Asian racism and how people who oppose it can take action. ...
Sep 13, 2023•49 min
This hour, we look at how dance has excluded people based on race and ability and how some people are fighting to change that. India Harville, a Disability Justice Consultant, talks about the need to shift attitudes in order to make dance more accessible. Jennifer Wiesner explains how she promotes racial diversity in her Norwalk dance studio, Studio Arte. And Anna Jayne Kimmel, an Assistant Professor of Dance at George Washington University, tells us how we can learn about law by understanding d...
Sep 06, 2023•49 min
On June 29th, the Supreme Court ruled that colleges and universities can no longer use race as a factor in admissions, with an exception for military academies. The decisions came in 2 separate affirmative action cases, one against Harvard College and the other against the University of North Carolina. This hour, we discuss the impact of those decisions. Jin Hee Lee , who, as part of the Legal Defense Fund, led representation of 25 Harvard student and alumni groups in the Harvard case, offers he...
Aug 30, 2023•49 min
This hour, we explore disruptions in our food landscape, from consumption to distribution and food waste management. Brian Paganini, Vice President of Quantum Biopower in Connecticut, explains how the company transforms food scraps into energy. Joshua Tetrick, CEO and Co-Founder of GOOD Meat, talks about growing meat from cells. And Katie Martin, CEO of More Than Food Consulting, discusses how to make food pantry operations better for those they serve. GUESTS: Brian Paganini : Vice President of ...
Aug 23, 2023•49 min
This hour, we take a look at representation in the cycling world. Connecticut-based bike instructor Leta Highsmith talks about being the first Black woman to become a League Cycling Coach with The League of American Bicyclists. Hannah Ross discusses her book REVOLUTIONS: How Women Changed the World on Two Wheels . And Katie Walker, who just finished racing in the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, explains what it's like competing at the highest level as she prepares for the Paralympic Games ...
Aug 16, 2023•49 min
Comedian and writer Roy Wood Jr. has been entertaining audiences with political satire for more than 25 years. He is best known for his role as correspondent on Comedy Central's The Daily Show . In April, Roy joined the list of notable comedians such as Jay Leno, Seth Meyers and Trevor Noah to headline the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. This hour, Roy Wood Jr. talks about his upbringing in the south, his rise in comedy and his future on The Daily Show . NOTE: This conversation was recorded ...
Aug 09, 2023•47 min
This hour, we listen back to a panel discussion that Khalilah hosted for The Nature Conservancy in Connecticut ’s annual Nature Talks series. The discussion was called “Oceans: Our Global Watchdog.” It was recorded in front of a live audience at Grace Farms in New Canaan, CT. The panelists talked about topics like how some communities are disproportionately affected by climate change and why we need to act now to protect the planet. Connecticut Public’s talk shows have teamed up to bring you sto...
Aug 01, 2023•49 min
This hour, we are taking a look at how race has impacted agriculture and the environmental movement. Leah Penniman, Co-Executive Director and Farm Director at Soul Fire Farm , talks about her new book Black Earth Wisdom: Soulful Conversations with Black Environmentalists . The discussion touches on everything from Leah's childhood to how the creation of some of the most prominent national parks in the U.S. is linked to the eugenics movement. And Dr. Dorceta Taylor, a professor at the Yale School...
Jul 26, 2023•49 min
This hour on Disrupted , we talk about the ways the film industry is changing— including the recent strikes and their potential impact beyond the entertainment world. We look at diverse representation in film and TV that goes beyond casting choices. And we also hear about the summer’s biggest films, including Barbie and Oppenheimer . See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jul 19, 2023•49 min
This hour, we hear a conversation with author and journalist Ari Berman on democracy and voting rights. He’ll talk about the decision the Supreme Court made 10 years ago in Shelby Country v. Holder that removed key provisions from the Voting Rights Act of 1965. He'll also explain what Democrats need to do differently if they want to ensure people have access to the polls. This conversation was recorded at a live event as part of New Haven’s 2023 International Festival of Arts & Ideas. GUESTS...
Jul 12, 2023•49 min
This hour, we are exploring the central role that Native peoples have played in the development of the United States, while facing legal discrimination that goes all the way back to the country's founding documents. Professor of Law Matthew L.M. Fletcher gives us the context around the Supreme Court's recent ruling on the Indian Child Welfare Act. And Ned Blackhawk discusses his new book, The Rediscovery of America: Native Peoples and the Unmaking of U.S. History , which tells the history of the...
Jul 05, 2023•49 min
This hour, we take a deep dive into LGBTQ+ Pride and history. We’ll talk about Stonewall, but also other moments in the LGBTQ+ rights movement that don’t get as much attention. Historian Marc Stein describes LGBTQ+ movements that happened before the Stonewall Uprising and two protests that occurred in Bridgeport. Archivist, Frank Perez and documentarian Sheri Wright tell the tragic story of The Upstairs Lounge , a popular New Orleans gay bar in the 1970’s. Beau Lancaster is an LGBTQ+ historian c...
Jun 28, 2023•49 min
Video games have a history of racist and sexist stereotypes, from damsels in distress to Asian martial artists. With the recent releases of The Super Mario Bros. Movie and HBO's television adaptation of The Last of Us , we wanted to take a closer look at representation in the video game industry. Sheri Graner Ray , CEO of Zombie Cat Studios and author of Gender Inclusive Game Design: Expanding the Market , explains what it's like to be a woman game designer pushing for the industry to broaden it...
Jun 20, 2023•41 min
This hour, we’re celebrating the 158th anniversary of Juneteenth with a look back at how Black Americans have helped shape Connecticut History. Maisa Tisdale has dedicated much of her career to uncovering the rich history of a planned neighborhood for Black and Indigenous Americans in Bridgeport in the 1800s. When she came on the show two years ago, she shared her work as the president and CEO of the Mary and Eliza Freeman Center for History and Community and her efforts to renovate the historic...
Jun 14, 2023•49 min
This hour, we look at how the Black press has shaped the United States. Professor Trevy A. McDonald tells us about the role the Black press played during important moments in history such as the civil rights movement. Akoto Ofori-Atta of Capital B explains her goals in helping to create a non-profit newsroom dedicated to centering Black voices. And Sasha Allen Walton and Endera Allen Stevens talk about working at Connecticut's largest and longest-published Black newspaper . You can learn more ab...
Jun 07, 2023•49 min
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...
May 31, 2023•49 min
It's college commencement season for the class of 2023. This hour, we'll explore the history, benefits and questions surrounding Affinity-based celebrations with Dr. Crystal Garcia . And local graduates discuss their challenges in finding a job with Economist, Harry Holzer. GUESTS: Dr. Crystal Garcia : Assistant Professor, Educational Administration at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Harry Holzer : John LaFarge Jr. Professor of Public Policy at Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public...
May 24, 2023•49 min
This hour on Disrupted , we are listening back to our interviews with Black cartoonists who pushed their medium forward despite the reluctance of newspapers outside of the Black press to nationally syndicate their work. Jerry Craft talks about his banned, award-winning graphic novel New Kid , in addition to his latest book, School Trip . Barbara Brandon-Croft discusses her pioneering comic strip Where I'm Coming From and her new book, a collection of her comic strips. That book is also titled Wh...
May 17, 2023•49 min
This hour, we explore the recent rise in anti-trans legislation. Orion Rummler of The 19th News takes us through anti-trans bills that are being passed at the state level. Karleigh Chardonnay Webb explains why attacks on trans athletes are about more than sports. And Dawn Ennis talks about finding joy during a time of discrimination. GUESTS: Orion Rummler : LGBTQ+ reporter for The 19th News Karleigh Chardonnay Webb : contributor to Outsports, peer support operator for Trans Lifeline, organizer f...
May 10, 2023•49 min
This hour, we take a look at the context around some of the biggest news stories in recent weeks. First, a panel discussion about gun violence with Leonard Jahad of Connecticut Violence Intervention Program and Jeremy Stein of CT Against Gun Violence . They explain some of the ways the U.S. and Connecticut could reduce the number of gun deaths. Then, Lisa Napoli, author of Up All Night: Ted Turner, CNN, and the Birth of 24-Hour News , talks about the history of cable news and the firings of Fox ...
May 03, 2023•49 min
This hour, we are taking a look at how race has impacted agriculture and the environmental movement. Leah Penniman, Co-Executive Director and Farm Director at Soul Fire Farm , talks about her new book Black Earth Wisdom: Soulful Conversations with Black Environmentalists . The discussion touches on everything from Leah's childhood to how the creation of some of the most prominent national parks in the U.S. is linked to the eugenics movement. And Dr. Dorceta Taylor, a professor at the Yale School...
Apr 26, 2023•49 min
Video games have a history of racist and sexist stereotypes, from damsels in distress to Asian martial artists. With the recent releases of The Super Mario Bros. Movie and HBO's television adaptation of The Last of Us , we wanted to take a closer look at representation in the video game industry. Sheri Graner Ray , CEO of Zombie Cat Studios and author of Gender Inclusive Game Design: Expanding the Market , explains what it's like to be a woman game designer pushing for the industry to broaden it...
Apr 19, 2023•41 min
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...
Apr 12, 2023•41 min
This hour, we look at how media is understood across generations and why media literacy is more than just identifying misinformation on the news or social media. Global media literacy educator Dr. Belinha De Abreu talks about the evolving relationship between people and the platforms they use. She also explains Connecticut's policy surrounding media literacy education. Later in the show, we hear a roundtable discussion with college journalism students as we learn how they approach finding accura...
Apr 05, 2023•49 min
This hour on Disrupted, we hear from three women who are rewriting narratives around death and dying in the U.S. The COVID-19 pandemic forced many of us to confront death head-on. At the same time, we’re also seeing major changes in the death care industry — from the emergence of things like green burials and human composting to the diversification of funeral directors. GUESTS: Cole Imperi : Founder of the School of American Thanatology and one of America’s leading experts on death, dying and gr...
Mar 29, 2023•49 min
This hour, we listen to a panel discussion that Khalilah hosted for The Nature Conservancy in Connecticut ’s annual Nature Talks series. The discussion was called “Oceans: Our Global Watchdog.” It was recorded in front of a live audience at Grace Farms in New Canaan, CT. The panelists talked about topics like how some communities are disproportionately affected by climate change and why we need to act now to protect the planet. The guests were Dr. Sylvia Earle, Explorer-in-Residence at the Natio...
Mar 22, 2023•49 min
This hour, we highlight disruptors using their storytelling skills to create change. After the murder of Eric Garner, Mercy Quaye organized a conversation about who controls the Black narrative at a New Haven coffee shop. Her work ultimately led her to start The Narrative Project , an anti-racist communications organization. CBS Saturday Morning 's Michelle Miller also joins us to discuss her new book Belonging: A Daughter’s Search for Identity Through Loss and Love , which details her journey t...
Mar 15, 2023•49 min
