Disrupted

Connecticut Public Radio

Disruptions are all around us. Some spark joy and possibility. Others move us to take action and re-evaluate our world. Every week on Disrupted, host and political scientist Khalilah Brown-Dean unpacks how big and small disruptions are shaping our lives.

From technology, economics, education, and healthcare to navigating our way through a global pandemic, continued racial inequalities, geopolitical upheaval, and climate change. What can history teach us about the current moment? What can we learn as we prepare for the disruptions yet to come? Who are the people using their voice to reset, reenergize, and create change? What are we learning about ourselves and our society to help us move forward?

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Episodes

Friendships that challenge norms: Intergenerational friends and platonic life partners
14-02-2024
Friendships that challenge norms: Intergenerational friends and platonic life partners
This hour, for Valentine's Day, we are taking a look at friendship. While friends seem ubiquitous in our culture, they aren't often prioritized in the same way that romantic partners are. Rhaina Cohen discusses that topic in her new book 'The Other Significant Others: Reimagining Life with Friendship at the Center.' Then, we turn to the idea of having friends from different generations. We'll hear from two Quinnipiac University students who live with the residents of Pond Ridge at Ashlar Village, a retirement community in Wallingford, CT. And Eunice Lin Nichols, Co-CEO of CoGenerate, will explain the value of intergenerational connections, including how they can help in a polarized society. GUESTS: Rhaina Cohen: Producer and editor for NPR. Author of 'The Other Significant Others: Reimagining Life with Friendship at the Center' Elise Maiorano: first year grad student at Quinnipiac University studying occupational therapy and living at Pond Ridge at Ashlar Village, a retirement community Annemarie Allen: first year grad student at Quinnipiac University studying occupational therapy and living at Pond Ridge at Ashlar Village, a retirement community Ben Paige: Resident of Pond Ridge at Ashlar Village, the retirement community that Elise and Annemarie stay at Eunice Lin Nichols: Co-CEO of CoGenerate, an organization that brings people from different generations together to solve problems See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Black press has been shaping media in the United States since 1827
24-01-2024
The Black press has been shaping media in the United States since 1827
Black news outlets have long shed light on important stories ignored by other organizations. This hour, we’re taking an in depth look at the Black press. 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 about Capital B at their website here or sign up for their newsletter here. You can learn more about Northend Agent's at their website here. GUESTS: Trevy A. McDonald: Associate Dean of ABIDE (Access, Belonging, Inclusion, Diversity, & Equity); Associate Professor of Broadcast and Electronic Journalism; Author; owner of Reyomi Media Group, an independent book publishing and consulting company based in Durham, N.C. Akoto Ofori-Atta: Co-founder and Chief Audience Officer at Capital B Sasha Allen Walton: Editor-in-Chief at Northend Agent’s Endera Allen Stevens: Growth Manager for Northend Agent’s This episode originally aired on June 7, 2023. Disrupted is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, Google Podcasts, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Connecticut music disruptors: From a jazz violinist to a DJ challenging stereotypes
17-01-2024
Connecticut music disruptors: From a jazz violinist to a DJ challenging stereotypes
This hour, we explore Connecticut music. Violinist Kersten Stevens just 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 Owner and Founder of 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 aka 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 this week to Meg Fitzgerald.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Our 2023 favorites: The long history of Chinese American exclusion and resistance
10-01-2024
Our 2023 favorites: The long history of Chinese American exclusion and resistance
The Disrupted team has been welcoming the new year by choosing a few of the episodes we loved from 2023. We have so many favorites that we couldn't reair all of them, but these are a few that we wanted to listen back to. This week is the last of our "2023 favorites" episodes. Producer Kevin Chang Barnum chose our episode on Chinese American exclusion and resistance not only because of how it highlights the discrimination that Chinese Americans face, but also because it shows something that isn't covered enough in the media— the way Chinese Americans have fought against that discrimination. This hour, 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. GUESTS: Ava Chin: Professor of Creative Nonfiction and Journalism at the City University of New York Graduate Center and College of Staten Island. Her most recent book is Mott Street: A Chinese American Family’s Story of Exclusion and Homecoming Russell Jeung: Professor of Asian American Studies at San Francisco State University and a Co-Founder of Stop AAPI Hate. In 2021, he was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World along with his fellow Stop AAPI Hate co-founders This episode originally aired on September 13, 2023.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Our 2023 favorites: From Cronkite to TikTok, media literacy is evolving across generations
03-01-2024
Our 2023 favorites: From Cronkite to TikTok, media literacy is evolving across generations
The Disrupted team is welcoming the new year by choosing a few of the episodes we loved from 2023. We have so many favorites that we couldn't reair all of them, but these are a few that we wanted to listen back to. This week, Producer Wayne Edwards chose our episode on media literacy. 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 accurate news. GUESTS: Dr. Belinha De Abreu: President of the International Council for Media Literacy and professor at Sacred Heart University; author of over 13 books including, most recently, “Media Literacy for Justice: Lessons for Changing the World” Tyler Wells: senior journalism major at the University of New Haven, Editor-in-Chief of The Charger Bulletin campus newspaper Faith Arcuri: junior at the University of New Haven majoring in journalism who writes for The Charger Bulletin Julie Dunn: junior at Sacred Heart University majoring in media arts with a concentration of TV, film and media Colin Moura: sophomore at Sacred Heart University majoring in media arts, Photography Editor of campus newspaper The Spectrum Special thanks to our interns Melody Rivera and Elizabeth Van Arnam who hosted the roundtable discussion. This episode originally aired April 5, 2023.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Our 2023 favorites: Black Americans are reclaiming their relationship with nature
27-12-2023
Our 2023 favorites: Black Americans are reclaiming their relationship with nature
The Disrupted team is welcoming the new year by choosing a few of the episodes we loved from 2023. We have so many favorites that we couldn't reair all of them, but these are a few that we wanted to listen back to. This week, our host Khalilah Brown-Dean chose our episode on 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 of the Environment, explains what environmental justice is, and why we need to think about marginalized communities when we think about the environment. For more information on Soul Fire Farm, you can visit their website. You can read Dorceta Taylor's research on disparities in environmental grantmakng through ResearchGate. GUESTS: Leah Penniman: Co-Executive Director and Farm Director at Soul Fire Farm, author of Black Earth Wisdom: Soulful Conversations with Black Environmentalists. Dorceta Taylor: Professor and Senior Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the Yale School of the Environment. She was interviewed for Leah Penniman’s book Black Earth Wisdom and is author of multiple books herself, including The Rise of the American Conservation Movement:  Power, Privilege, and Environmental Protection. This episode originally aired on April 26, 2023.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Connecticut’s young people on the state’s 'Unspoken Crisis'
20-12-2023
Connecticut’s young people on the state’s 'Unspoken Crisis'
A recent report found that one in five young people in Connecticut is dealing with challenges like disconnection from education and employment, being at-risk of not graduating high school and incarceration. This hour, we take a closer look at that report. First, Andrew Ferguson walks us through the numbers. He is Co-CEO of Dalio Education, the organization that commissioned Boston Consulting Group to create the report. Then, we talk to young people in the state about what it's like to grow up in Connecticut. You can find the report, "Connecticut's Unspoken Crisis," on Dalio Education's website. The panel discussion clips in this episode are from a public awareness campaign organized by the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM). You can watch the full panel discussion featuring Joshua Brown from Domus and Mayor Luke Bronin on CCM's Facebook page. GUESTS: Andrew Ferguson: Co-CEO of Dalio Education. Dalio Education is the organization that commissioned Boston Consulting Group to create the report "Connecticut's Unspoken Crisis." He has also worked as an elementary school teacher in New Haven. Yaismely Segura: student at Stamford High School. Since fifth grade, she has taken part in programs at Domus, a Stamford-based organization that works to engage and support youth. Diego Felix: grew up in Hartford and was part of the Youth Service Corps at Our Piece of the Pie (OPP), a Hartford-based non-profit that educates and trains young people See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.