where we live

Community college enrollment has dropped nationally, leading many local institutions to rethink how they retain their students.

Today, we talk to local leaders in Connecticut State Colleges & Universities system. How are they working to attract and retain students?

Dr. Duncan Harris joins us, he’s Capital Community College, Chief Executive Officer. We find out how Capital Community College has changed their offerings to better serve the Hartford community.

If you’re attending a community college in our state, we want to hear from you!

GUESTS:

• Lee Gardner - Senior Writer at Chronicle of Higher Education
• Dr. G. Duncan Harris - Chief Executive Officer at Capital Community College in Hartford, Connecticut
• Hana Lahr - Senior Research Associate and Program Lead at the Community College Research Center at Teachers College Columbia University

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Each year, Connecticut Magazine's 40 Under 40 celebrates up-and-coming innovators in our state. This hour, we meet some of this year's impactful honorees.

Watertown architect Omarys Vasquez is driven to "make great design more accessible and inclusive." She recently co-founded NOMAct, the Connecticut chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects.

Shelby C. Davis is an educator, life coach and author in Waterbury, who founded the City Youth Theater in 2019. His latest book is titled Meet Wyatt Brown.

Miles Wilson-Toliver is an opera singer and voice teacher who began performing around the world at the age of 9. He recently launched Voices of Hartford, a premier young men's singing ensemble out of Hartford's North End.

GUESTS:

• Omarys Vasquez - Architect and Associate at Svigals & Partners
• Shelby C. Davis - Counselor, Crosby High School; Author, Everything My Parents Taught Me in 6 Steps: Life’s Guide; Founder, City Youth Theater
• Miles Wilson-Toliver - Opera singer and voice coach; Co-founder, Voices of Hartford

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Pulitzer-winning physician Siddhartha Mukherjee referred to cancer as “The Emperor of All Maladies.” Now, Mukherjee is one of many contributors to “A New Deal for Cancer – Lessons From A 50 Year War.”

This hour on Where We Live, we talk about the legacy and shortcomings of this war, including the lack of access to cancer care for some populations, a byzantine drug reimbursement system, the lack of incentives for preventive testing, and corporatization of physician-owned clinics. We also discuss the promise of President Joe Biden’s newly relaunched Cancer Moonshot program, and barriers to its liftoff.

The science of cancer has advanced significantly since the National Cancer Act was first signed in 1971. How will the country work towards fewer deaths and equitable treatment for all Americans over the next 50 years?

GUESTS: 

Abbe R. Gluck: Alfred M. Rankin Professor of Law and Faculty Director,

Solomon Center for Health Law and Policy, Yale Law School. Professor of Medicine, Yale School of Medicine. Editor of “A New Deal for Cancer – Lessons From A 50 Year War”

Dr. Charles S. Fuchs: Senior Vice President – Global Head of Hematology and Oncology Product Development, Genentech & Roche. Editor of “A New Deal for Cancer – Lessons From A 50 Year War”

Giselle Carlotta MacDonald: Executive Director, Project Access-New Haven

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This hour on Where We Live, we look into strategies that build resilience in local bookstores and discuss pandemic book launches. Long-time indie bookshops continue to stay afloat and even thrive despite the ongoing pandemic. Amazon controls more than half of the market for print books and at least three-quarters of publishers’ ebook sales.

We also talk to booksellers about trends, including eliminating or reducing inventory-holding costs by selling on Bookstore.org –the Amazon for indies. 

The American Booksellers Association (ABA) lists the top five trends for indie bookstores in 2022. According to the ABA, nationally, 250 indie bookstores opened, and 98 closed in 2020 and 2021.

Here is a list of Connecticut's indie bookstores:

• Barrett Bookstore, Darien (since 1939)
• Hickory Stick Bookshop, Washington Depot (since 1951)
• Breakwater Books, Guilford (since 1972)
• Atticus Books, Middletown (since 1975)
• Bloodroot, Bridgeport (since 1977)
• Books on the Common, Ridgefield (since 1984)
• RJ Julia, Madison, (since 1990)
• Bank Square Books, Mystic (since 1998)
• Book Trader Cafe, New Haven (since 1998)
• Elm Street Books, New Canaan, (since 2003) 
• A New Page, Middletown (since 2003)
• Burgundy Books, Old Saybrook (since 2005)

New bookstore openings in Connecticut include: 

• Title IX: A Bookstore, a pop-up bookshop in New London 
• The Key Bookstore’s brick-and-mortar bookshop in Hartford 
• Athena Books in Old Greenwich
• Pink Wave Books & Cafe (online) 
• Wordsmith Bookshop, scheduled to open in Simsbury in May 
• Reader's Block, opened in Stratford
• Book Club on the Go (online, pop-ups, book delivery)
• New York’s Shakespeare & Co., expected to open its first Connecticut bookshop in Norwalk.
• Also, plans are underway to launch Next Chapter Books and More, an ELITE (Educating Learners In Transition Environment) Program’s student-run bookstore and coffee shop in Trumbull.

Several of the new bookshops sell to under-represented communities, and all are focussed on building a local third space. We discuss the ‘doing well by doing good’ indie business model. Will it endure?

We also look into store closures and fundraisers to keep indies open. That Book Store in Wethersfield and Elliot’s Bookstore in Northford are among those that shut down, while fundraisers are underway to reopen New Haven’s Never Ending Books, and to keep Bennett’s Books in Deep River open.

GUESTS:

• Khamani Harrison: Founder & Owner of The Key Bookstore – An AfroFuturistic Bookstore in Hartford
• Lauren Anderson: Co-founder & Co-owner, People Get Ready, New Haven
• Roxanne Coady: Founder of RJ Julia, and CEO and founder of Just the Right Book

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After a 13 year old Hartford student overdosed in school and died days after taking fentanyl, there has been a push to get Naloxone, a life saving medication, into all schools.

Today, we talk to the superintendent of Hartford Schools, Dr. Leslie Torres-Rodriguez about these efforts and support for the community.

Later, we hear from a parent whose son died from an opioid overdose. We'll also hear from Dr. Craig Allen, Vice President of Addiction Services at Rushford, a substance prevention treatment center, about service for those struggling with addiction.

What questions do you have about opioid use in our state?

GUESTS:

• Dr. Leslie Torres-Rodriguez - Superintendent of Hartford Public Schools
• Dr. J. Craig Allen - Vice President of Addiction Services for the Behavior Health Medical Network at Rushford, Hartford Healthcare
• Kelly Fisher - founder of the Alex Fisher Foundation

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Hartford Seminary has a new name. It’s now the Hartford International University for Religion and Peace.

Today, we talk to its President Joel Lohr.

And we hear from other faculty members about their efforts to create a more inclusive, interreligious university focusing on peace studies.

There have been a lot of conversations about diversity and inclusion initiatives in the workplace - but often, talk of religious inclusivity is left out of those discussions.

How can we have more productive discussions about faith?

GUESTS:

• Joel Lohr - President of Hartford International University
• Aida Mansoor - Chaplain and Director of Field Education at Hartford International University
• Deena Grant Associate - Professor of Jewish Studies and Director of Global Community Partnerships at Hartford International University
• Fatima Basharat - a student in the inaugural MA in International Peacebuilding program at Hartford International University

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Almost 8,000 flights were cancelled over the holiday season, leaving many to reconsider how and why we travel. Are you dreaming of a vacation but dreading the hassle of learning to travel again with COVID still around?

Today, we talk about the future of travel by planes, trains and automobiles. Elisabeth Goodridge, deputy travel editor at the New York Times joins us with what you need to know.

And later, we hear from Ryan O’Connor, owner of “Live A Little Vans” here in Prospect, Connecticut to talk about #vanlife.

What have your travel experiences been like recently? We want to hear about you

GUESTS:

• Elisabeth Goodridge - Deputy Travel Editor at the New York Times
• Ryan O’Connor - Owner of Live A Little Vans in Prospect, Connecticut
• Isak Kvam - full time van-lifer currently residing in Colorado
• Maria Thompson - full time van-lifer currently residing in Colorado

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In Connecticut, the civil Statute of Limitations cut-off age for reporting child sexual abuse is 48. Connecticut in 2019 updated the law by extending the cut-off age to 51, but this change only applies to offenses committed after Oct. 1, 2019.

Now, advocates hope to persuade state legislators to eliminate or further extend the Statute of Limitations, something that 24 states, including New York and New Jersey, have done.

This hour on Where We Live, we hear from survivors of child sexual abuse and also a trauma expert. We discuss delayed disclosure – the phenomenon common to adult survivors of child sexual abuse who wait for decades before disclosing that they have been victims of abuse. Data show that the average disclosure age of child victims of sexual assualt is 52 – according to research cited by Child USAdvocacy.

Data from the Department of Justice suggests that 86% of child sexual abuse goes unreported altogether.

We also look into whether eliminating the statute of limitations can enable us, as a society, to keep children safe from hidden sexual predators.

Resources: 

CT Alliance Against Sexual Violence
1-888-999-5545 for English
1-888-568-8332 para Español

CT SNAP (Survivors Network for those Abused by Priests)
Co-Leaders Gail Howard, Lori Temple, Beth McCabe

GUESTS:

Lori Temple: Member and Co-Leader of CT SNAP – Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests 

Steven Marans, PhD.: Psychoanalyst and Professor of Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine; Co-Director of the Yale Center for Traumatic Stress and Recovery

Kathyrn Robb: Executive Director, CHILD USAdvocacy; Survivor of child sexual abuse

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This year’s National Defense Authorization Act includes major reforms to the military justice system, shifting the power of prosecuting reports of sexual assault outside the chain of command to independent military lawyers. But what still needs to be done to encourage survivors to come forward?

Hear from Maureen Friedly, a Marine Corps veteran and survivor of sexual assault who has advocated for prosecutorial reforms; and Chelsea Donaldson, a lawyer with the Connecticut Veterans Legal Center representing local veterans.

GUESTS:

• Peggy McCarthy - Reporter, Connecticut Health Investigative Team
• Maureen Friedly - Marine Corps Veteran
• Chelsea Donaldson - Staff Attorney, Connecticut Veterans Legal Center
• Col. Don Christensen - President, Protect Our Defenders

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Connecticut saw a 32.7% decline in its homeless population between 2010 and 2020, compared to a decline of 9% nationally.

The latest point-in-time data shows 2,594 people (of whom 429 are unsheltered) are experiencing homelessness in Connecticut on a given night, a 34% drop from 3,902 in 2016.

But advocates say there’s work to be done in reducing unsheltered homelessness – which has climbed since the pandemic broke – and ending chronic homelessness for all. A goal which the state met for homeless veterans. 

This hour WWL, we hear from Evonne Klein, the state’s former housing commissioner and newly-appointed CEO of the Hartford-based nonprofit Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness. Klein and other experts discuss ways to expand affordable housing, reduce unsheltered homelessness, and address the tension between the state and towns over the new zoning law that scrapped transit oriented development and fair share language.

GUESTS: 

Evonne Klein: CEO, Connecticut Coalition to End Homelesness

Camila Vallejo: Housing Reporter, Connecticut Public Radio

Jennifer Paradis: Executive Director, Beth-El Center in Milford

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How can history education help to heal hatred? And what’s the latest on Asian-American education initiatives where we live?

This hour, we hear from Khamla Vorasane, co-owner of Avon's BouNom Bakery, and the sponsor of a unique scholarship opportunity for future educators at UConn's Asian American Studies Institute. Plus, one student organization at Amity Regional High School is pushing for curricular change at their school. Hear from the co-founders of Amity Asian Activism.

New social studies "standards" are in the works, according to State Department of Education social studies consultant Steve Armstrong. Connecticut Public education reporter Catherine Shen has the latest on the planned updates, including a focus on Asian-American history.

GUESTS:

• Khamla Vorasane - Co-owner, BouNom Bakery; Sponsor, UConn's Nom and Boulieng Vorasane Scholarship
• Mingyue Zha - Student, Amity Regional High School; Founder, Amity Asian Activism
• Melinda Liu - Student, Amity Regional High School; Founder, Amity Asian Activism
• Catherine Shen - Education Reporter, Connecticut Public

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In Connecticut, like many states, minors cannot be vaccinated without parental consent.

According to a Kaiser Family Foundation Poll, 3 out of 10 parents surveyed say they would not get their child vaccinated against COVID.

Today, Dr. Holly Taylor, a researcher at the National Institutes of Health, joins us to talk about her recent paper “Adolescents, Parents, and Covid-19 Vaccination — Who Should Decide?”

We want to hear from you. Should adolescents be able to get the COVID-19 vaccine without their parents permission?

GUESTS:

• Dr. Holly Taylor - member of faculty at the Department of Bioethics at the Clinical Center at the National Institutes of Health
• Susanna McGrew - Fellow at the Department of Bioethics at the Clinical Center at the National Institutes of Health
• Dr. Sharon Ostfeld-Johns - Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics and Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine at Yale
• Dr. Asha Shah - Director of Infectious Diseases Stamford Health

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This hour, we hear from newly elected West Haven state Rep. Treneé McGee, touching on her efforts to win over public trust in the context of a city scandal, and her plans for the future.

Plus, we’ll look ahead to election season with The Campaign School at Yale. How has the art of campaigning changed in recent years?

GUESTS:

• Treneé McGee - Democratic state Representative, West Haven
• Patricia Russo - Executive Director, The Campaign School at Yale

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Sharks. They’re among the apex predators of the ocean, swimming with stealth and agility across our blue planet. But more than that, they’re sources of myth and fear, stirring imaginations with their serrated jaws and cutting dorsal fins.

So what, then, does it take to photograph these -- and other -- awe-inspiring marine creatures? This hour, we talk with underwater photojournalist Brian Skerry and preview his upcoming appearance at The Connecticut Forum.

Plus, with Memorial Day just around the corner, what should New Englanders keep in mind as they hit the region’s beaches and dip into its shark-inhabited waters? We find out and we also hear from you. 

GUESTS:

• Brian Skerry - Renowned underwater photographer and author of several books, including Shark (@Brian_Skerry)
• Dr. James Sulikowski - Marine biologist and professor at the University of New England

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Sharks. They’re among the apex predators of the ocean, swimming with stealth and agility across our blue planet. But more than that, they’re sources of myth and fear, stirring imaginations with their serrated jaws and cutting dorsal fins.

So what, then, does it take to photograph these -- and other -- awe-inspiring marine creatures? This hour, we talk with underwater photojournalist Brian Skerry and preview his upcoming appearance at The Connecticut Forum.

Plus, with Memorial Day just around the corner, what should New Englanders keep in mind as they hit the region’s beaches and dip into its shark-inhabited waters? We find out and we also hear from you. 

GUESTS:

• Brian Skerry - Renowned underwater photographer and author of several books, including Shark (@Brian_Skerry)
• Dr. James Sulikowski - Marine biologist and professor at the University of New England

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In 1985, Robert Ballard discovered the Titanic wreckage off the coast of Newfoundland. But his explorations didn’t stop there! 

This week, we showcase our best conversations of 2021. Robert Ballard joined us earlier this year to talk about his new book, Into The Deep: A Memoir From The Man Who Found Titanic. 

We hear about his amazing adventures and his recent attempt to find Amelia Earhart. 

We also learn what Ballard discovered about himself. What questions do you have for this great explorer?

GUEST:

Robert Ballard - Author of Into The Deep: A Memoir From The Man Who Found the Titanic

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In 1985, Robert Ballard discovered the Titanic wreckage off the coast of Newfoundland. But his explorations didn’t stop there! 

This week, we showcase our best conversations of 2021. Robert Ballard joined us earlier this year to talk about his new book, Into The Deep: A Memoir From The Man Who Found Titanic. 

We hear about his amazing adventures and his recent attempt to find Amelia Earhart. 

We also learn what Ballard discovered about himself. What questions do you have for this great explorer?

GUEST:

Robert Ballard - Author of Into The Deep: A Memoir From The Man Who Found the Titanic

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It’s the holiday season! Time to binge watch shows, read ALL the books piling up on our nightstands and listen to podcasts on the long drive to grandma’s house.

Today on Where We Live, we talk about the best podcasts, shows and books of 2021.

NPR TV Critic Eric Deggans joins us to share his favorite TV shows of 2021. Later, we hear from one of the owners of Breakwater Books in Guilford, Connecticut and hear what books were standouts in 2021.

We want to hear from you, Where We Live. What are you binge watching, listening and reading over this holiday season?

GUESTS:

• Eric Deggans - NPR’s TV Critic
• Richard Parent - Co-owner of Breakwater Books in Guilford Connecticut
• Emma Carey - freelance culture and entertainment writer, and weekly contributor to Esquire

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Misinformation is a factor for anyone online, but research has shown false and misleading statements about COVID-19 that are in Spanish will linger longer on social media.

Hear about this national problem from Free Press Senior Counsel Nora Benavidez, and about the local efforts to help close the gap in vaccine distribution among Hispanic residents in our state. Connecticut officials say more than 6 out of 10 Hispanic residents have received at least one dose, compared to more than more than 7 in 10 white residents.

Junta for Progressive Action and the Hispanic Health Council join, along with Fair Haven Community Health Care, to discuss their real-world success in dispelling viral misconceptions.

What can you do to combat COVID-19 misinformation?

GUESTS:

• Nora Benavidez - Senior Counsel and Director of Digital Justice and Civil Rights, Free Press
• Dionne Kotey - Director of Wellness and Health Management, Hispanic Health Council
• Dr. Suzanne Lagarde - CEO, Fair Haven Community Health Care
• Bruni Pizarro - Executive Director, Junta for Progressive Action

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The iconic Mr. Potato Head from Hasbro is now simply the gender neutral Potato Head. Also this year, LEGO, WildBrain, and Mattel launched the Everyone is Awesome set, the Teletubbies Pride collection, and UNO’s Play with Pride deck in celebration of Pride Month.

This hour on Where We Live, we discuss diversity and inclusion in the toy industry, and its impact on child development.

We hear from experts on the trends and changing norms in the understanding of gender and how diversity must go beyond tokenization by toy manufacturers.

GUESTS:

Diane Gervais: Owner, Amato’s Toy and Hobby Middletown 

Jeffrey Trawick-Smith: Professor Emeritus, Center for Early Childhood Education, Eastern Connecticut State University, and Author of Young Children’s Play: Development, Disabilities, and Diversity 

Ellen Lambert: Advisor – Equity, Inclusion, & Diversity, the Toy Association and the Toy Foundation

Eileen Foley: Toy Curator and Owner, Little Acorn Learning LLC, Redding, Connecticut

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