Connections Podcast

We’re joined by members of the Greater Rochester Black Agenda Group. Late last month, they issued a proclamation declaring racism a public health crisis. Research shows racial health disparities are prevalent and growing. This hour, we discuss the data, the impact of the disparities in the short and long term, and the steps the group says need to be taken to achieve health equity. Our guests: Melanie Funchess , member of the Greater Rochester Black Agenda Group, and director of community

We check in on the opioid crisis and how the pandemic has impacted it. Harvard’s Julia Marcus has compared the pandemic to the opioid crisis and the AIDS crisis when it comes to harm reduction strategies. We discuss what works and what the experts are learning. Our guests: Tim Wiegand , M.D., director of toxicology at URMC, and associate director of the UR Medicine Combined Addiction Fellowship Training Program Julie Stampler, harm reductionist and board member of the National Harm Reduction

On Monday, local public defenders marched in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. As reported by WXXI's Noelle Evans, it was one of many public defender-led protests across the nation that called attention to systemic racism and police violence. This hour, we're joined by four local African American public defenders who discuss the systemic racism they say they see in the justice system, and the reforms for which they are advocating. Our guests: Danielle Ponder , diversity and

What does a "just city" look like when it comes to urban design? It's a question Toni Griffin of the Harvard Graduate School of Design explores in her work. She leads the Just City Lab, which "examines how design and planning contribute to conditions of justice and injustice in cities." She joins us this hour to discuss her work. It's a preview of her upcoming presentation for the Community Design Center Rochester's Reshaping Rochester series . Our guests: Toni Griffin , professor in practice of

We continue our conversation about the future of youth sports in America. According to the Wall Street Journal, 20 to 40 percent of all youth sports programs could be lost due to insolvency caused by the pandemic. That could limit opportunities for young athletes with limited financial means who look to club and recreational leagues to play on teams. Meanwhile, experts in the youth sports movement say this moment of pause is an opportunity to reevaluate the youth sports model. This hour, our

How should corporate America react to social movements? In the days after the killing of George Floyd and the protests that followed, brands both big and small launched ads and social media posts in response. In a recent piece for the Atlantic Monthly, writer Amanda Mull argues that most of those messages used vague phrasing, were awkwardly executed, and followed a template that has become standard in recent years. How can a company strike the right balance between authenticity and social

Irshad Altheimer is a professor of criminal justice who has been directly affected by gun violence. In 1997, a gang member opened fire on a car he was riding in with friends. Altheimer was struck by three bullets, and one of this friends was killed. Altheimer has dedicated his career to researching and addressing the roots of urban violence, and to reducing gun violence in Rochester. He joins us to discuss his work with local law enforcement, his perspectives on police reform, and the recent BLM

Longtime Assemblyman David Gantt has decided not to seek re-election. Gantt has held the 137th District seat for nearly 40 years. Now, four Democrats are vying for the office. This hour, we hear from two of the candidates running in the upcoming primary: Demond Meeks Silvano Orsi Note: The two additional candidates in this primary race are Ernest Flagler-Mitchell and Ann Lewis. Flagler-Mitchell is unable to participate in the conversation due to an emergency; Lewis did not respond to multiple

Monroe County Democrats are split over the situation at the Board of Elections. Most Democrats favor a typical democratic process to elect a new commissioner. Some Democrats have joined with Republicans to call for an immediate installation of a new leader, along with the creation of six new positions to help the office prepare for the June 23 primary and special elections. It sounds a bit like inside baseball, but both sides argue that it's about the core of our community. Our guests try to

Marvin Stepherson spent 25 years in policing, retiring as a police sergeant. He has become a prominent black voice in the Greater Rochester community, teaching, organizing, getting involved in politics. Stepherson sees the challenge in recruiting more black officers to policing; he also knows that police demographics won't solve all of the existing problems. He joins us to discuss how policing could change to meet this moment of crisis. Our guest: Marvin Stepherson , retired police sergeant, and