Connections Podcast

The Rochester City School District is struggling to resolve a significant budget gap. The new superintendent says the district will not slash teaching positions. Critics from outside and from within the school board are calling for significant change. We discuss what that might look like with our guests: Willa Powell , member of the Rochester City School Board Eamonn Scanlon , education and policy analyst for The Children's Agenda

Weekend Connections is a collection of some of the most noteworthy moments from the week on Connections with Evan Dawson. This episode includes conversations about: The relationship between the media and the Trump administration, with longtime NPR journalist Robert Siegel; The dangers of nuclear weapons, with a survivor of the atomic bomb attack on Hiroshima; How local students feel about the impact of climate change on their lives; The impact of social media on mental health.

We're joined by Robert Siegel , longtime NPR host of “All Things Considered.” Siegel retired in January last year. We sit down with him to discuss his career, the role of public broadcasting, and the state of journalism today.

Author Sonja Livingston is back in studio to discuss her newest work, a collection of essays called "The Virgin of Prince Street." It's an exploration into a personal journey: her rediscovery of her childhood church and religion. We talk to Livingston about faith and devotion during a time when organized religion is losing followers.

We sit down with Sadae Kasaoka, a survivor of the atomic bomb that hit Hiroshima in 1945. Kasaoka was 12 years old when she saw the flash of light and following destruction that devastated her city. She lost both of her parents in the attack, and experienced discrimination as a survivor as she grew into a adulthood. Kasaoka began sharing her story in the year 2000, with the goal of educating future generations about the dangers of nuclear war. We hear from her this hour, and we discuss the

Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang has been slowly working his way up in the polls. Some of Yang’s success can be attributed to his proposal for a Universal Basic Income. Critics call his latest UBI proposal gimmicky and insufficient. Yang supporters argue it would give all Americans autonomy the autonomy they don’t currently have. Our guests debate it. In studio: Daniel Whelan, founder of an advocacy group called Go BIG Now Earl Johnston, member of the Rochester Chapter of the

We have a debate about tariffs. Last week on Connections, we heard from several United Auto Workers employees who said that even though they think President Trump is untrustworthy, they will still vote for him if he maintains his policy on tariffs. They said they think the tariffs are good for American workers. But other people disagree. This hour, our guests debate the effectiveness of tariffs and their impact on the American economy. In studio: Dan Maloney, machine repair specialist and

How can different community and governmental entities work together to address environmental health and justice, especially in urban areas? It’s a question University of Rochester Medical Center associate professor Katrina Korfmacher answers in her new book, “Bridging Silos: Collaborating for Environmental Health and Justice in Urban Communities.” She explores examples from three communities, including efforts to address lead poisoning in Rochester. Her work focuses on how collaboration is

We sit down with local youth climate leaders who just returned from the climate strike in New York City and the Climate Solutions Summit at SUNY New Paltz. They share their message, what they learned, and how they hope to work with adults in their community and beyond to create a sustainable future. Our guests: Liam Smith, senior at Brighton High School, president of the Brighton High School Climate Club, member of the Citizens Climate Lobby, member of the leadership team for the Rochester Youth

Social psychologist and author Jonathan Haidt says he thinks social media is damaging democracy. On his Twitter profile, he writes, “I try to tweet rarely and constructively.” But the founders of a local social media conference say social media and do social good. This hour, they join us to discuss how social media helps or hinders our ability to have respectful and productive discussions. We also preview the upcoming Upstate Social Sessions . Our guests: Leah Stacy , co-founder of Upstate