Disrupted

April 30th marked 50 years since the end of the Vietnam War. The war looms large in U.S. culture— it’s been the subject of countless books and movies. These works have often focused on American soldiers, but not so much on the experiences of everyday Vietnamese people living through the war. Artist and writer Thi Bui’s 2017 bestselling graphic memoir The Best We Could Do started as an attempt to change that. It tells her family’s story of living through the war and ultimately leaving her birth country to come to the United States. More recently, Thi co-edited an issue of the literary journal McSweeney's featuring work by artists from the Vietnamese diaspora. She talks to us about both those projects and reflects on her experiences as a mother. GUESTS: Thi Bui: cartoonist, writer and artist. She’s author of the bestselling and award-winning graphic memoir, The Best We Could Do. Most recently she co-edited an issue of the literary journal McSweeney’s that was released to mark 50 years since the end of the Vietnam War. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We hear a lot of of debate around sex and sexuality from our political leaders these days. Proposed legislation in areas like reproductive rights and education are constantly in the news. And while that debate may seem intense today, it isn’t new. Americans have long argued over which kinds of sex are, and aren’t “acceptable.” You need to understand the past to understand the present, as the saying goes. And according to historian Rebecca L. Davis, there are a lot of misconceptions about the past. This hour, we return to our conversation about her new book Fierce Desires: A New History of Sex and Sexuality in America. She’ll explain the surprising ways Americans have understood intimate relations and even share a touching story that took place right here in Connecticut. GUEST: Rebecca L. Davis: Miller Family Endowed Early Career Professor of History at the University of Delaware and Professor of Women and Gender Studies. Her latest book is Fierce Desires: A New History of Sex and Sexuality in America. You can listen to the interview with Jason Stanley that Professor Davis mentioned in this episode on our website. This episode originally aired on December 13, 2024.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oral history preserves the past by recording people’s real voices. It’s not just about recording the stories people tell. It’s also about the way they tell them. Oral history is about memory and humanity. It’s a form of history that anyone can be a part of. This hour, we’re talking to two Connecticut residents about the stories they have preserved through oral history. Author and educator Mary Romney-Schaab talks about her father's experience as a Black person imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp. And Amanda Rivera, a PhD candidate in American Studies at Yale University, discusses the history of Connecticut's Puerto Rican communities. GUESTS: Mary Romney-Schaab: retired teacher and author of An Afro-Caribbean in the Nazi Era: From Papiamentu to German. The book details her father’s experience in a Nazi concentration camp during World War II Amanda Rivera: PhD candidate in the Department of American Studies at Yale University. Her work explores activism and education reform in Puerto Rican communities in southern Connecticut. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This hour, we are returning to conversations about the stories we see represented on the small screen. Elizabeth Ito is the creator of City of Ghosts and also worked on Adventure Time. She'll discuss using people's real voices in her work and covering topics like gentrification on a series that children watch. Bethonie Butler, author of Black TV: Five Decades of Groundbreaking Television from Soul Train to Black-ish and Beyond, talks to us about shows centering Black characters from 1968's Julia up to the present day. GUESTS: Elizabeth Ito: writer, director and storyboard artist in the animation industry. She is the creator of the series City of Ghosts, which is currently on Netflix. She also worked on Adventure Time. Bethonie Butler: author of Black TV: Five Decades of Groundbreaking Television from Soul Train to Black-ish and Beyond. Bethonie is a former reporter for The Washington Post where she covered television and pop culture. This episode originally aired on February 21, 2024.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Legendary trumpeter Terence Blanchard is the first Black composer to have had an opera performed at the Metropolitan Opera. But, as he says, he isn't the first Black composer qualified to do so. This hour, we talk to musicians who are changing the face of opera by bringing new stories to the fore. GUESTS: Terence Blanchard: Executive Artistic Director at SF Jazz and Multiple Grammy Award-winning trumpeter and composer. He has performed as part of Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers and composed the scores for dozens of films, including Spike Lee films like BlacKkKlansman and Malcolm X. In 2021 he became the first Black composer to have had their opera performed at the Metropolitan Opera with Fire Shut Up in My Bones. He will be performing selections from Fire Shut Up in My Bones in Hartford on April 24th. Julia Bullock: Grammy Award-winning classical singer. She has curated a program that she performs called “History’s Persistent Voice.” It’s a multimedia project that includes poetry, visual art and music inspired by the songs of enslaved people. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In March of 1924, more than 100 Black and white attendees were at a dinner party in downtown Manhattan. The party was organized by prominent thinkers Charles S. Johnson and Alain Locke and included people like W.E.B. DuBois. Their goal was to bring together Harlem’s young Black writers with white publishers to help the writers’ work find a national audience. The party was a success. So much so that it’s often considered the start of the period known as the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance saw a boom in the popularity of Black writers, just as the party’s organizers hoped. Writers like Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston might get the most attention, but the period was not just about writing— music and visual arts also flourished. This hour, we’re listening back to our episode exploring the legacy of the Harlem Renaissance. UConn professor Erika Williams joins us to explain what the Harlem Renaissance was and to help us understand how people thought about queerness during the Harlem Renaissance. We’ll also hear from Denise Murrell who curated a recent exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art called "The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism." She says exhibits like this one can help expand the museum-going public. GUESTS: Erika Williams: Associate Professor of English and Africana Studies at the University of Connecticut. Denise Murrell: Merryl H. & James S. Tisch Curator at Large at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She recently curated an exhibit called "The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism," which was on view at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2024. Brandon Hutchinson: Associate Professor of English, Affiliate Faculty of Women and Gender Studies and Co-Coordinator of the Africana Studies Program at Southern Connecticut State University. Jonah Craggett: one of Brandon Hutchinson's former students John Guillemette: one of Brandon Hutchinson's former students Frankie Devevo: one of Erika Williams' former students and former CT Public intern To learn more about Zora Neale Hurston, you can listen to our interview with Tracy Heather Strain. This episode originally aired on December 20, 2024.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Historian Martha S. Jones was looking through a book one day when she found a section mentioning her grandfather. It referred to her grandfather as white. But in reality, her grandfather’s father was a free man of color, and his mother was born enslaved. This wasn’t the first time her family’s racial identity was questioned, so she started writing down her version of her family’s history. It's that history, and her family's relationship to racial identity, that she explores in her new book The Trouble of Color: An American Family Memoir. GUEST: Martha S. Jones: The Society of Black Alumni Presidential Professor, Professor of History and Professor at the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University. Her latest book is The Trouble of Color: An American Family Memoir. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Five years ago, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. Since that time, the world has changed dramatically, from the way we think about public health to the way we socialize to the way we watch movies. But those changes haven't had the same impact on everyone. This hour, we’re talking about COVID-19’s impact on existing inequities. We talk about the diverse experiences of disabled people over the last five years, and take a broader look at the history of health and race. GUESTS: Mara Mills: Associate Professor and Ph.D. Director in the Department of Media, Culture, and Communication at New York University. She is Co-Founder and Director of the NYU Center for Disability Studies. She co-edited the recent book How to be Disabled in a Pandemic. Edna Bonhomme: Historian of science. Her new book is A History of the World in Six Plagues: How Contagion, Class and Captivity Shaped Us, from Cholera to COVID-19. To learn more about public health and COVID-19, you can listen to our episode reflecting on four years since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Adamsons talks about her research on fathers and the problem with the way many people think about "traditional families." GUESTS: Angela Garbes: author of Essential Labor: Mothering as Social Change Kari Adamsons: Associate Professor of Human Development and Family Sciences at the University of Connecticut This episode originally aired on February 15, 2023.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bernadette Atuahene initially moved to Detroit, Michigan to study squatters rights. But she discovered a more urgent issue once there— that many Black residents were losing their homes. The reason was property tax foreclosure, and it came as a result of property taxes that were illegally inflated. It’s one of several racist housing policies that shapes who does or doesn’t have generational wealth in the U.S. This hour, we’re talking about government policies that impact the homes and neighborhoods people live in. GUEST: Bernadette Atuahene: Professor of Law at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law. Her new book is Plundered: How Racist Policies Undermine Black Homeownership in America. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every February, the United States celebrates Black History Month. But this year, the celebration might feel a bit different. On January 31st, the Department of Defense announced it would no longer use official resources to celebrate cultural awareness months, including Black History Month, which began the following day. That announcement came after the Trump administration's rollback of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives within the federal government. This hour, we’re joined by a panel of experts to talk about Black History Month and what it means today. GUESTS: Kevin Gaines: Julian Bond Professor of Civil Rights and Social Justice and Interim Director of the Carter G. Woodson Institute at the University of Virginia. Christina Greer: Associate Professor of Political Science at Fordham University Michael Harriot: founder of ContrabandCamp and bestselling author of Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America In this episode, the guests mention several Black Americans who have made an impact on U.S. history. Here are some of the names if you want to learn more: Ella Baker, Mary McLeod Bethune, George Washington Carver, James Chaney, Septima Clark, John Henrik Clarke, David Dennis Sr, Fannie Lou Hamer, Steven Henson, bell hooks, Barbara Jordan, Garrett Morgan, Constance Baker Motley, Gloria Naylor, Bernice Johnson Reagon, Gloria Richardson, Amelia Boynton Robinson, Jo Ann Robinson, Cleveland Sellers, Robert Smalls, The students in the court case Edwards v. South Carolina, Ida B. Wells-BarnettSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Poet Reginald Dwayne Betts was part of a carjacking in a Virginia mall parking lot when he was 16 years old. He was charged as an adult and sentenced to 9 years in prison. Dwayne was released in 2005. Today, he’s a lawyer and award-winning poet. He’s also the founder and CEO of a nonprofit organization called Freedom Reads. It provides handcrafted bookcases full of brand new books to prisons. For Dwayne, and other incarcerated people, those books can be a lifeline— a connection to the rest of the world. This hour, listen back to our candid conversation with Dwayne as he reflects on his poetry, the power of books, and life after prison. We also take a visit to the Freedom Reads workshop and hear from some of the formerly incarcerated people who build the bookcases and bring them to prisons. GUEST: Reginald Dwayne Betts: Award-winning poet, whose books include Felon and the upcoming Doggerel. He's also a lawyer and the Founder and CEO of Freedom Reads Michael Byrd: Library Production Assistant at Freedom Reads Steven Parkhurst: Communications Manager at Freedom Reads James Flynn: Library Production Assistant at Freedom Reads Special thanks to Kevin Baker and Ivan Dominguez at Freedom Reads. This episode originally aired on December 6, 2024. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When you think about love, what comes to mind? Maybe a movie like Love Actually or Love & Basketball. Maybe Dolly Parton or Whitney Houston singing "I Will Always Love You." Love shows up a lot in our pop culture— but what about in our politics? The relationships we build…the people we love…the way we treat each other…all of that can be political. This hour, we hear about the importance of love in political organizing and the way even our most intimate relationships can be political. GUESTS: Dean Spade: Author, activist and professor at the Seattle University School of Law. His latest book is called Love in a F*cked Up World: How to Build Relationships, Hook Up, and Raise Hell, Together Terri Conley: Professor of Psychology at University of Michigan. She co-wrote a chapter called “Love is Political: How Power and Bias Influence Our Intimate Lives” in the book The New Psychology of Love See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brandon J. Dirden is an actor and director who has appeared in TV shows like The Americans and plays like the Tony Award-winning All The Way (he played Martin Luther King Jr. alongside Bryan Cranston as Lyndon B. Johnson). He's also a director — most recently of Yale Repertory Theatre’s production of Eden. The play takes place in 1920s Manhattan. It focuses on two families living in the same apartment building. Eustace Baylor comes from the south and falls in love with Anetta Barton. Anetta’s family is from the West Indies. Her father, Joseph, does not approve of Eustace. This hour, we talk to Brandon about the complex racial dynamics in Eden and the power of theater. GUEST: Brandon J. Dirden: actor, director and Associate Arts Professor in the Graduate Acting Department at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. He directed Yale Repertory Theatre’s production of Eden, which runs until February 8th. You can learn more about Yale Repertory Theatre's production of Eden on their website.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

James Baldwin and the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. were two of the most influential thinkers of the Civil Rights Movement. This hour, we reflect on their legacies as we think about our present political moment. Kyle Bass wrote the play Citizen James, or the Young Man Without a Country, which will be performed in Hartford in February. It portrays a young James Baldwin at an inflection point in his life, before he became a renowned writer. And Randal Maurice Jelks is the Ruth N. Halls Professor of African American and African Diaspora Studies at Indiana University Bloomington. His book Letters to Martin: Meditation on Democracy in Black America started as a talk he gave shortly after President Donald Trump’s first inauguration back in 2017. It puts Dr. King’s ideas in conversation with present-day political questions. GUESTS: Kyle Bass: Resident Playwright at Syracuse Stage and Assistant Professor of Theater at Colgate University. His play Citizen James, or the Young Man Without a Country is being performed by Hartford's Heartbeat Ensemble in February. Randal Maurice Jelks: The Ruth N. Halls Professor of African American and African Diaspora Studies at Indiana University Bloomington. He is also a documentary film producer and author whose books include Letters to Martin: Meditations on Democracy in Black America. You can find more information about Heartbeat Ensemble's performances of Kyle Bass' play Citizen James, or the Young Man Without a Country here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This hour, we listen back to our episode about some of the ways that millennial and gen z politicians are making their mark on the U.S. Up first, Brandon Scott is the youngest mayor of Baltimore in more than 100 years. A new documentary film called The Body Politic, follows Mayor Scott during his first term in office, focusing on his campaign to reduce gun violence. We are joined by that film's director and producer, Gabriel Francis Paz Goodenough. Then, Layla Zaidane is President and CEO of Future Caucus, an organization that brings together young lawmakers to collaborate across party lines. She reframes the idea of civility in politics and tells young people they can have an impact on government. GUESTS: Gabriel Francis Paz Goodenough: Director and Producer of the documentary film The Body Politic, which follows Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott’s efforts to reduce gun violence in the city. The film is currently streaming on PBS's website. Layla Zaidane: President and CEO of Future Caucus, an organization that brings together young lawmakers to collaborate across party lines. Special thanks to intern Frankie Devevo. This episode originally aired on November 8, 2024.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is designated as a National Day of Service to encourage people to volunteer and improve their communities. But those communities' needs don’t end when the day of service ends. Here in Connecticut, people like Erik Clemons work year round to improve the communities they care about. Erik is the CEO of New Haven-based nonprofit Connecticut Center for Arts and Technology (ConnCAT), which offers job training and youth programs. He is also the CEO of Connecticut Community Outreach Revitalization Program (ConnCORP), a for-profit subsidiary of ConnCAT dedicated to economic development in New Haven. Recently, Erik wrote an opinion piece for CT Insider about ConnCORP's plans to redevelop part of New Haven’s Dixwell neighborhood. In the piece, Erik grounds those plans in his commitment to community. He compares the redevelopment to making a quilt. He writes, quote “By weaving together the stories, experiences, and perspectives of those who live in Dixwell, we aim to create a space that reflects their lived experience, resilience, and unique identity — something far more meaningful than any single piece.” GUESTS: Erik Clemons: CEO of New Haven-based nonprofit Connecticut Center for Arts and Technology, also known as ConnCAT. The organization offers job training and youth programs. He is also CEO of Connecticut Community Outreach Revitalization Program or ConnCORP, a for-profit subsidiary of ConnCAT dedicated to economic development in New Haven. In this episode, Erik mentions the Harlem Renaissance. To learn more about the Harlem Renaissance you can listen to our recent episode about the movement. You can also find our previous interview with Erik Clemons on our website.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In recent years, politicians across the U.S. have been debating what history should be taught in the classroom. Connecticut is no exception to these debates— a 2022 press conference announcing a planned Native Studies curriculum in Connecticut's public schools turned tense when questions around the specifics of the program came up. This hour, we’re talking to historians and educators to learn what it's like to teach and study the past in all its complexity in today's polarized political climate. This panel was part of a live event hosted with The Connecticut Forum in November, less than two weeks after the 2024 U.S. presidential election. GUESTS: Andy Horowitz: Associate Professor of History at the University of Connecticut and Connecticut State Historian. His work looks at disasters and the broader implications they have for society. Fiona Vernal: Director of Engaged, Public, Oral and Community Histories and Associate Professor of History and Africana Studies at the University of Connecticut. Chris Newell: Co-Founder and Director of Education for Akomawt Educational Initiative. He is also Founding Director of the Native American Cultural Program and Instructor-in-Residence at the University of Connecticut. He is a citizen of the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Indian Township. To hear more about Professor Andy Horowitz's research, you can listen to our episode on disasters.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Disrupted team is welcoming the new year by choosing a couple of the episodes we loved from 2024. We have so many favorites that we couldn't reair all of them, but these are some of the ones that we wanted to listen back to. This week, host Khalilah-Brown Dean chose our interview with author Amy Tan. Amy is best known for popular novels like The Joy Luck Club and its 1993 film adaptation. The book and movie explore several mother-daughter relationships — some of which were shaped by Amy’s own experiences. Her latest book, The Backyard Bird Chronicles, hits close to home in a different way. In it, she brings the birds in her backyard to life with humor and tragedy through observations and drawings from her nature journals. But the book isn’t just a recounting of wildlife. Amy vividly imagines the birds’ inner thoughts and comes away with piercing observations about nature, humanity and the relationship between them. This hour, Amy talks to us about that book and offers her insights on a wide range of topics including how birds have led her to reflect on mortality, her changing experience of racism and overcoming her fear of sharks. Guest: Amy Tan: bestselling author of numerous books including The Joy Luck Club and The Bonesetter’s Daughter. Her latest book is The Backyard Bird Chronicles. It collects entries and drawings from her nature journals. This episode originally aired on September 27, 2024.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Disrupted team is welcoming the new year by choosing a couple of the episodes we loved from 2024. We have so many favorites that we couldn't reair all of them, but these are some of the ones that we wanted to listen back to. This week, producer Kevin Chang Barnum chose our interview with James Forman Jr. The United States imprisons more people than any other country in the world. And Black people bear the burdens of mass incarceration the most. In 2019, Connecticut was one of seven states where Black people were incarcerated at over nine times the rate of white people. That’s according to an analysis done by The Sentencing Project. These problems aren't new, but they also aren't going away. Pulitzer Prize-winning author and Yale law professor James Forman Jr. hopes the new book he co-edited, Dismantling Mass Incarceration: A Handbook for Change, will inspire readers to work towards change. It talks about finding solutions at every level of what he calls "the criminal system," from policing to prisons to courts. GUEST: James Forman Jr.: J. Skelly Wright Professor of Law at Yale University. His book Locking Up Our Own: Crime and Punishment in Black America won a Pulitzer Prize in 2018. He recently co-edited Dismantling Mass Incarceration: A Handbook for Change. You can learn more about the prison system in the U.S. by listening to Disrupted's interview with Reginald Dwayne Betts. Special thanks to intern Frankie Devevo. This episode originally aired on October 25, 2024. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In March of 1924, more than 100 Black and white attendees were at a dinner party in downtown Manhattan. The party was organized by prominent thinkers Charles S. Johnson and Alain Locke and included people like W.E.B. DuBois. Their goal was to bring together Harlem’s young Black writers with white publishers to help the writers’ work find a national audience. The party was a success. So much so that it’s often considered the start of the period known as the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance saw a boom in the popularity of Black writers, just as the party’s organizers hoped. Writers like Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston might get the most attention, but the period was not just about writing— music and visual arts also flourished. This hour, we’re exploring the legacy of the Harlem Renaissance in honor of its 100th anniversary. UConn professor Erika Williams joins us to explain what the Harlem Renaissance was and to help us understand how people thought about queerness during the Harlem Renaissance. We’ll also hear from Denise Murrell who curated a recent exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art called "The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism." She says exhibits like this one can help expand the museum-going public. GUESTS: Erika Williams: Associate Professor of English and Africana Studies at the University of Connecticut. Denise Murrell: Merryl H. & James S. Tisch Curator at Large at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She recently curated an exhibit called "The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism," which was on view at the Metropolitan Museum of Art earlier this year. To learn more about Zora Neale Hurston, you can listen to our interview with Tracy Heather Strain.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We hear a lot of of debate around sex and sexuality from our political leaders these days. Proposed legislation in areas like reproductive rights and education are constantly in the news. And while that debate may seem intense today, it isn’t new. Americans have long argued over which kinds of sex are, and aren’t “acceptable.” You need to understand the past to understand the present, as the saying goes. And according to historian Rebecca L. Davis, there are a lot of misconceptions about the past. She joins us today to talk about her new book Fierce Desires: A New History of Sex and Sexuality in America. She’ll explain the surprising ways Americans have understood intimate relations and even share a touching story that took place right here in Connecticut. GUEST: Rebecca L. Davis: Miller Family Endowed Early Career Professor of History at the University of Delaware and Professor of Women and Gender Studies. Her latest book is Fierce Desires: A New History of Sex and Sexuality in America. You can listen to the interview with Jason Stanley that Professor Davis mentioned in this episode on our website.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Poet Reginald Dwayne Betts was part of a carjacking in a Virginia mall parking lot when he was 16 years old. He was charged as an adult and sentenced to 9 years in prison. Dwayne was released in 2005. Today, he's a lawyer and award-winning poet. He's also the founder and CEO of a nonprofit organization called Freedom Reads. It provides handcrafted bookcases full of brand new books to prisons. For Dwayne, and other incarcerated people, those books can be a lifeline— a connection to the rest of the world. This hour, we have a candid conversation with Dwayne as he reflects on his poetry, the power of books, and life after prison. We also take a visit to the Freedom Reads workshop and hear from some of the formerly incarcerated people who build the bookcases and bring them to prisons. You can see photos of the Freedom Reads workshop on our website. GUEST: Reginald Dwayne Betts: Award-winning poet, whose books include Felon and the upcoming Doggerel. He's also a lawyer and the Founder and CEO of Freedom Reads Michael Byrd: Library Production Assistant at Freedom Reads Steven Parkhurst: Communications Manager at Freedom Reads James Flynn: Library Production Assistant at Freedom Reads Special thanks to Kevin Baker and Ivan Dominguez at Freedom Reads.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Poet Crystal Wilkinson says people are always surprised to hear that there are Black people in Appalachia. That's despite the fact that two million Black people live in the region. The Black presence in Appalachia goes all the way back to the time of enslavement. And Crystal's own family is a part of that history— her relatives Aggy and Tarlton Wilkinson were an interracial couple there in the early 1800s. She talks about all of that in her book Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts: Stories and Recipes from Five Generations of Black Country Cooks. It's a culinary memoir about how she connects with her Appalachian ancestors through cooking. This hour, hear our extended interview with Crystal. She joins us to talk about food, family and her relationship to the past. She discusses her appreciation for traditions like Thanksgiving cooking, while learning through her children how those traditions evolve. GUEST: Crystal Wilkinson: Writer and former Poet Laureate of Kentucky. She teaches creative writing at the University of Kentucky and is author of Perfect Black. Her latest book is Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts: Stories and Recipes from Five Generations of Black Country Cooks. This is an extended version of the interview that originally aired on October 18, 2024 Disrupted is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Actress Anna Deavere Smith is known for her roles on TV series like The West Wing, Nurse Jackie and Black-ish. She's also the playwright and performer behind more than fifteen one-woman shows including the Tony-nominated Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 and the new This Ghost of Slavery: A Play of Past and Present. She writes scripts based on her interviews with real people in a style she pioneered called “verbatim theatre.” Host Khalilah Brown-Dean spoke with Anna about the politics of art at a live event in New Haven in late-October. The event was part of the Artistic Congress, organized by Long Wharf Theatre and Yale Schwarzman Center. We discussed doubt, courage and her hope that her art inspires people to take action. GUEST:  Anna Deavere Smith: Actress and playwright. On TV she is known for roles on The West Wing, Nurse Jackie and Black-ish. One stage, she has written and performed in more than fifteen one-woman shows, including the Tony-nominated Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 and the new This Ghost of Slavery: A Play of Past and Present. She is also a professor at NYU and founded the Institute on the Arts and Civic Dialogue. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This year, Michael Morand, director of community engagement for Yale's Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, was appointed New Haven's official city historian. We return to our conversation with him about bringing New Haven's history to life and the exhibit he collaborated on at the New Haven Museum. The exhibit includes years of Michael's research as part of The Yale and Slavery Research Project documenting Yale's historical ties to slavery. The exhibit, which is on view until March, 2025, is called Shining Light on Truth: New Haven, Yale, and Slavery. Guest:  Michael Morand: Director of community engagement for Yale's Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library and New Haven's official city historian. You can read about Michael Morand's role as New Haven's official city historian on CT Public's website. Special thanks to our intern Frankie Devevo. This episode originally aired on September 11, 2024. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This hour, we learn about some of the ways that millennial and gen z politicians are making their mark on the U.S. Up first, Brandon Scott is the youngest mayor of Baltimore in more than 100 years. A new documentary film called The Body Politic follows Mayor Scott during his first term in office, focusing on his campaign to reduce gun violence. We are joined by that film's director and producer, Gabriel Francis Paz Goodenough. Then, Layla Zaidane is President and CEO of Future Caucus, an organization that brings together young lawmakers to collaborate across party lines. She reframes the idea of civility in politics and tells young people they can have an impact on government. GUESTS: Gabriel Francis Paz Goodenough: Director and Producer of the documentary film The Body Politic, which follows Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott's efforts to reduce gun violence in the city. The film will be broadcast as part of PBS's POV series on November 25th. Layla Zaidane: President and CEO of Future Caucus, an organization that brings together young lawmakers to collaborate across party lines. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In her new book Punished for Dreaming: How School Reform Harms Black Children and How We Heal, Dr. Bettina Love says that Black public school students like her in the 1980s and 1990s were "labeled disposable because of our zip code, test scores, and Black skin." Dr. Love is this year's winner of the Stowe Prize for Literary Activism. She joins us to explain how she sees anti-Black racism baked into U.S. education policy. And Professor Anthony Abraham Jack, author of Class Dismissed: When Colleges Ignore Inequality & Students Pay the Price says there is more to making college campuses inclusive than admitting a diverse student body. GUESTS: Dr. Bettina Love: William F. Russell Professor at Teachers College, Columbia University. She's winner of the 2024 Stowe Prize for Literary Activism and author of Punished for Dreaming: How School Reform Harms Black Children and How We Heal. Anthony Abraham Jack: Inaugural Faculty Director of the Boston University Newbury Center and Associate Professor of Higher Education Leadership at the Boston University Wheelock College of Education and Human Development. His new book is Class Dismissed: When Colleges Ignore Inequality & Students Pay the Price. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The United States imprisons more people than any other country in the world. And Black people bear the burdens of mass incarceration the most. In 2019, Connecticut was one of seven states where Black people were incarcerated at over nine times the rate of white people. That's according to an analysis done by The Sentencing Project. These problems aren't new, but they also aren't going away. Pulitzer Prize-winning author and Yale law professor James Forman Jr. hopes the new book he co-edited, Dismantling Mass Incarceration: A Handbook for Change, will inspire readers to work towards change. It talks about finding solutions at every level of what he calls "the criminal system," from policing to prisons to courts. GUEST: James Forman Jr.: J. Skelly Wright Professor of Law at Yale University. His book Locking Up Our Own: Crime and Punishment in Black America won a Pulitzer Prize in 2018. He recently co-edited Dismantling Mass Incarceration: A Handbook for Change. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you've never spent time in Appalachia, your idea of the region might be shaped by what you see in media like vice presidential nominee JD Vance's bestselling memoir Hillbilly Elegy and its subsequent movie adaptation. But many popular depictions of Appalachia ignore its rich diversity. This hour, we talk to people who grew up in Appalachia to go beyond the stereotypes. Neema Avashia discusses her book Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place and tells us about searching for belonging with multiple marginalized identities. And Crystal Wilkinson, former Poet Laureate of Kentucky and author of the culinary memoir Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts: Stories and Recipes from Five Generations of Black Country Cooks, reflects on her family's long and complex history in Appalachia stretching back to a marriage between a white man and an enslaved Black woman. GUEST: Neema Avashia: Educator and author of Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place. Crystal Wilkinson: Writer and former Poet Laureate of Kentucky. She teaches creative writing at the University of Kentucky and is author of Perfect Black. Her latest book is Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts: Stories and Recipes from Five Generations of Black Country Cooks. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to a Washington Post analysis, from 2021 to 2023, states passed 70 laws restricting education about race, sex and gender. In the four years before that, states passed zero such restrictions. That change accompanies a wave of criticism of U.S. universities brought forward by politicians like Vice Presidential Nominee JD Vance. This, hour, we look into what is behind these attacks on education. Yale philosophy professor Jason Stanley's latest book is called Erasing History: How Fascists Rewrite the Past to Control the Future. He argues that restrictions on education parallel the methods of fascist leaders and discusses why some politicians who graduate from selective universities later criticize them. GUEST: Jason Stanley: The Jacob Urowsky Professor of Philosophy at Yale University. His newest book is Erasing History: How Fascists Rewrite the Past to Control the Future. Special thanks to our intern Frankie Devevo.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For years, Dr. Jonathan Metzl thought about gun violence as a public health issue. His approach treated it like an epidemic and treated guns as a health risk. But as he studied a mass shooting that happened near where he lives in Nashville, he realized he had been missing something crucial for years— the cultural power of guns. He joins us to talk about his new book, What We've Become: Living and Dying in a Country of Arms. GUEST: Dr. Jonathan Metzl: Frederick B. Rentschler II Professor of Sociology and Psychiatry, and the director of the Department of Medicine, Health, and Society, at Vanderbilt University. His latest book is What We've Become: Living and Dying in a Country of Arms. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Author Amy Tan is best known for popular novels like The Joy Luck Club and its 1993 film adaptation. The book and movie explore several mother-daughter relationships — some of which were shaped by Amy's own experiences. Amy's latest book, The Backyard Bird Chronicles, hits close to home in a different way. In it, she brings the birds in her backyard to life with humor and tragedy through observations and drawings from her nature journals. But the book isn't just a recounting of wildlife. Amy vividly imagines the birds' inner thoughts and comes away with piercing observations about wildlife, humanity and the relationship between them. This hour, Amy talks to us about that book and offers her insights on a wide range of topics including how birds have led her to reflect on mortality, her changing experience of racism and overcoming her fear of sharks. A note to our radio listeners: Starting the week of September 23, Disrupted moves from Wednesdays at 2:00 PM to Fridays at 9:00 AM and a rebroadcast at 8:00 PM, plus our Sunday at 2:00 PM rebroadcast.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This hour, we are returning to conversations about the stories we see represented on the small screen. Elizabeth Ito is the creator of 'City of Ghosts' and also worked on Adventure Time. She'll discuss using people's real voices in her work and covering topics like gentrification on a series that children watch. Bethonie Butler, author of 'Black TV: Five Decades of Groundbreaking Television from Soul Train to Black-ish and Beyond,' talks to us about shows centering Black characters from 1968's Julia up to the present day. GUESTS: Elizabeth Ito: writer, director and storyboard artist in the animation industry. She is the creator of the series 'City of Ghosts,' which is currently on Netflix. She also worked on Adventure Time. Bethonie Butler: author of 'Black TV: Five Decades of Groundbreaking Television from Soul Train to Black-ish and Beyond.' Bethonie is a former reporter for The Washington Post where she covered television and pop culture. This episode originally aired on February 21, 2024. Disrupted is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This year, Michael Morand, director of community engagement for Yale's Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, was appointed New Haven's official city historian. We talk with him about bringing New Haven's history to life and the exhibit he collaborated on at the New Haven Museum. The exhibit includes years of Michael's research as part of The Yale and Slavery Research Project documenting Yale's historical ties to slavery. The exhibit, which is on view until March, 2025, is called Shining Light on Truth: New Haven, Yale, and Slavery. Guest: Michael Morand: Director of community engagement for Yale's Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library and New Haven's official city historian. Disrupted is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listening to the news, it feels like there are more natural disasters than ever. This hour, we return to conversations about why flooding and droughts are becoming so common and how the word "disaster" affects the way we view an event. First, Connecticut State Historian Andy Horowitz explains why understanding disasters involves looking at the decisions people made before the devastation, sometimes decades before. And Professor Mohammed Ombadi breaks down the science behind how climate change is causing an increase in extreme weather. GUESTS: Andy Horowitz: Associate Professor of History at UConn, Connecticut State Historian, author of 'Katrina: A History, 1915-2015' Mohammed Ombadi: Assistant Professor in the department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering at the University of Michigan Special thanks to interns Lateshia Peters and Joey Morgan. This episode originally aired on November 8, 2023. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Disrupted will be back with new episodes in September. In the meantime, as we prepare for the election, we are bringing you some highlights from the New Hampshire Public Radio series 'Civics 101.'  Why Vote, And How To Do It The United States is supposed to be a representative democracy. We vote for our leaders, and those leaders represent our interests. But the impact of your vote isn't always so clear. On Civics 101, NHPR's show about the basics of how our democracy works, we talk about why you should vote, and provide wisdom to help you prepare for the polls.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Disrupted will be back with new episodes in September. In the meantime, as we prepare for the election, we are bringing you some highlights from the New Hampshire Public Radio series 'Civics 101.' Are We A Democracy Or A Republic? Civics 101 has a tagline: we're a show about the basics of how our democracy works. And there's a complaint we get pretty often around here, that our tagline contains the word "democracy," but the United States is actually a republic. So...do we need to make a change? We dig into that question, and talk about how our two-party system compares to other countries.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Disrupted, we dive deep into one of the wildest election cycles in recent history. Journalist and editorial director for Mother Jones, Jamilah King, offers her take on some of the latest political developments. We also discuss Vice President Kamala Harris's candidacy with Higher Heights for America, an organization that supports Black women in politics. You can also watch Disrupted host Khalilah Brown-Dean's interview with C-Span's Washington Journal about the role of black sororities and fraternities and why they could play a huge role in the election. Guests: Jamilah King: Editorial Director at Mother Jones Glynda C. Carr: President and CEO of Higher Heights for America See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This hour, we listen back to conversations with people who think a lot about religion— both their own experiences and how it impacts society. NPR National Political Correspondent Sarah McCammon grew up in Kansas City as an Evangelical. Her book, The Exvangelicals - Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church tells her story and the story of others who felt disenchanted by the movement and walked away. Three Gen Z-ers talk about their relationship with religion and spirituality. Later in the show, we'll hear from Myokei Caine-Barrett, Shonin. She's the first person of African-American and Japanese descent—and the only American woman—to be fully ordained as a Buddhist priest in the Nichiren lineage. GUESTS: Sarah McCammon: NPR National Political Correspondent and author of The Exvangelicals - Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church Myokei Caine Barrett, Shonin: Resident Priest of Myoken-Ji Temple in Houston This episode originally aired on April 3, 2024. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This hour, we explore Connecticut music. Violinist Kersten Stevens recently released a jazz album that she worked on with eight-time Grammy winner Christian McBride. She talks to us about facing imposter syndrome and how her unique sound came out of her experience playing a wide range of genres while growing up in Connecticut. Qiana Coachman-Strickland, also known as "DJ Q-Boogie," discusses her work supporting women DJs as the Owner and Founder of the Female DJ Association. And filmmakers Andy Billman and Joe Franco tell us about their upcoming documentary on music venue Toad's Place in New Haven. GUESTS: Kersten Stevens: violinist with the nickname “Queen of the Violin.” She's won Amateur Night and Showtime at the Apollo a total of six times. She plays in a range of styles, but her latest album, Queen Rising, is jazz. Qiana Coachman-Strickland a.k.a DJ Q-Boogie: professional DJ, Female DJ Coach and Owner and Founder of Female DJ Association. Qiana is based in Connecticut. Andy Billman: director of the upcoming documentary on New Haven music venue Toad's Place. He has worked on a number of projects for ESPN, including the award-winning series 30 for 30. Joe Franco: one of the producers of the upcoming documentary on New Haven music venue Toad's Place. He worked at ESPN from the very first year it launched and spent over 30 years there doing everything from covering sporting events to working in HR. Special thanks to Meg Fitzgerald. This episode originally aired on January 17, 2024. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.