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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 struggling New Haven families. Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin shares his challenges and accomplishments on renewing the city’s urban and small business communities in the final year of his last term. GUESTS: Lisa Hagen: Federal Policy Reporter for the CT Mirror and Connecticut Public Dr. Karen DuBois-Walton: President and CEO of Elm City Communities and The Glendower Group Mayor Luke Bronin: Mayor of Hartford, CT See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 prominent figures like the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. worked. GUESTS: Tracy Heather Strain: director, writer and producer of Zora Neale Hurston: Claiming a Space; Corwin-Fuller Professor of Film Studies at Wesleyan University Dr. Stacey Close: History Professor at Eastern Connecticut State University, contributor to the book African American Connecticut Explored See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Strauss: sports and media reporter at The Washington Post Ryan Stewart: former safety for the Detroit Lions and sports analyst Maggie Vanoni: beat reporter for Hearst media with a focus on UConn women’s basketball See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Stowe Prize and will be speaking at the Harriett Beecher Stowe Center on September 22, 2022. GUEST: Dr. Clint Smith: Staff writer for The Atlantic. Author of How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America and the poetry collection Counting Descent. This episode originally aired on September 21, 2022, and was produced by J. Carlisle Larsen, Kevin Chang Barnum and Catie Talarski. Disrupted is produced by Kevin Chang Barnum, Emily Charash and Catie Talarski. Disrupted is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 science writer Pam Belluck who updates us on the latest research into long COVID. GUESTS: Sonya Huber: Professor of Creative Writing at Fairfield University, author of 7 books including Pain Woman Takes Your Keys, and Other Essays from a Nervous System Pam Belluck: health and science writer for the New York Times, one of this year’s winners of the Victor Cohn Prize for Excellence in Medical Science Reporting, previously shared in winning a Pulitzer Prize See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 John Shafer: Professor at Middlesex Community College Rebecca Beltrán: Guided Pathways Advisor at Middlesex Community College David Blitz: Professor of Philosophy at Central Connecticut State University, Chair of the Faculty Advisory Committee to the Board of Regents Dr. John Maduko: President of Connecticut State Community College We want to thank Taylor Doyle, our intern, who also contributed to producing this episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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: Chairman of the Board and Co-founder of NXTHVN Antoinette Brim-Bell: Connecticut’s 8th State Poet Laureate, author of three books of poetry including, most recently, These Women You Gave Me   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 by Ken Burns, Lynn Novick, and Sarah Botstein. Classroom-ready materials and teaching resources created collaboratively with teachers, scholars and the Fortunoff Video Archive For Holocaust Testimonies at Yale University can be found here. GUESTS: Christina Chavarria: Program Coordinator for the William Levine Family Institute for Holocaust Education at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Jeffrey A. Fletcher: Executive Director of The Ruby and Calvin Fletcher African American History Museum in Stratford, CT. He recently completed a 20-year career as a police officer in New Haven. Aya Marczyk: Curriculum Development Fellow at the Fortunoff Video Archive For Holocaust Testimonies at Yale University Disrupted is produced by Kevin Chang Barnum, Emily Charash and Catie Talarski. Our interns are Taylor Doyle and Jacob Gannon. Special thanks to Dylan Reyes, Deidre Tavera, Maureen Connelly and the event co-sponsors Connecticut Public, Voices of Hope, The Ruby and Calvin Fletcher African American Collection, Stratford and The Sterling House Community Center, Stratford. Additional thanks to the Fortunoff Video Archive For Holocaust Testimonies at Yale University Library. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 When Sunday Morning Isn't Enough This episode was produced by James Szkobel-Wolf, Zshekinah Collier, and Catie Talarski and originally aired on June 1, 2022. Disrupted is produced by Kevin Chang-Barnum, Emily Charash and Catie Talarski. Our interns are Taylor Doyle and Jacob Gannon. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 upcoming book, Desperate Remedies: Psychiatry’s Turbulent Quest to Cure Mental Illness  Arika Okrent: Linguist and author of the book In the Land of Invented Languages: Adventures in Linguistic Creativity, Madness, and Genius Joseph Menn: Technology reporter at the Washington Post and author of All the Rave: The Rise and Fall of Shawn Fanning's Napster   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor on November 17th. GUESTS: Nicholas Dawidoff: author of five books, including The Other Side of Prospect: A Story of Violence, Injustice, and The American City Soledad O'Brien: journalist, CEO of Soledad O'Brien Productions See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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, Connecticut.GUESTS: Christia Spears Brown: Professor of Developmental Psychology and Associate Dean of Inclusive Excellence at the University of Kentucky, author of Unraveling Bias: How Prejudice Has Shaped Children for Generations and Why It’s Time to Break the Cycle Kathryn Bond Stockton: Dean of the school for cultural and social transformation and distinguished Professor of English at the University of Utah. Her books include The Queer Child, and, most recently, Gender(s) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 to a decentralized workforce. What’s the future of urban centers when more people are working from home? GUESTS: Emma Goldberg: Future of Work Reporter for the New York Times Sarita Gupta: Vice President of US Programs at the Ford Foundation, and Co-Author of The Future We Need: Organizing for a Better Democracy in the Twenty-First Century Erica Smiley: Executive Director of Jobs with Justice and Co-Author of The Future We Need: Organizing for a Better Democracy in the Twenty-First Century Richard Florida: Urbanist, professor at the University of Toronto, and author of The New Urban Crisis This episode of Disrupted was produced by James Szkobel-Wolff, Zshekinah Collier and Catie Talarski, with help from interns Michayla Savitt and Sara Gasparotto, who also contributed. This show originally aired on March 30, 2022. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Senior Historian and Director of History, Research, and Scholarly Programs at the National Portrait Gallery Jennifer Piscopo: Associate Professor of Politics and Affiliate Faculty of Latin American and Latino/Latina Studies at Occidental College Click here to see more images from the First Lady Exhibition. J. Carlisle Larsen and Kevin Chang Barnum also contributed to producing this show, originally published on July 27, 2022. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Times Catherine Shen: Education reporter at Connecticut Public See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.

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.

On this week's episode of Disrupted, Dr. Clint Smith joins us to talk about his recent book, How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 show Alma’s Way and author of the book, Coming Up Cuban: Rising Past Castro’s Shadow Daniel R. Anderson: Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a former consultant for Nickelodeon and Sesame Workshop Disrupted is produced by J. Carlisle Larsen, Kevin Chang Barnum, and Catie Talarski. This episode of Disrupted was produced by James Szkobel-Wolff and Zshekinah Collier. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Tradition. Lorraine Monteagut: practicing Bruja and author of Brujas: The Magic and Power of Witches of Color Elizabeth Foley O'Connor: Associate Professor of English, Director of the Gender Studies Program at Washington College in Maryland, author of Pamela Colman Smith: Artist, Feminist & Mystic  Disrupted is produced by J. Carlisle Larsen, Kevin Chang Barnum, and Catie Talarski.  This episode was originally produced by James Szkobel-Wolff and Zshekinah Collier.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.