Connections Podcast

Is centrism dying in politics? The primary victory of Alexandria-Ocasio Cortez has energized Democrats who argue for a slate of significant changes, starting with single-payer health care. Many Americans self-identify as centrists, but what does that mean? Our guests debate whether centrism has value, or is just a dodge on pursuing one's ideals. Molly Clifford , member of Rochester City Council, and former chair of the Monroe County Democratic Party Anthony Plonczynski Figueroa , chair of the

Our Summer of Food conversation examines the slow but steady increase of female chefs in American restaurants. The majority of restaurant chefs are men. Why is that? Our guests are women who work in the industry; they share their experiences, and offer ideas for young women who want to become leaders in restaurants. In studio: Andrea Parros, owner and operator of The Red Fern Emma Nguti, manager and head cook at Fusion 4 Restaurant and Bar Candace Doell, chef de cuisine at Owl House Anna

Some brands are using CGI in their advertising, and consumers can’t tell that the images are not real humans. Is that ethical? Will CGI define the future of advertising? We talk to experts about this trend. Our guests: Scott Malouf , attorney whose work focuses on the intersection between social media and the law Anne Esse , creative director and change strategist Dan Mulcahy, creative director for Bush Communications Jennifer Grygiel , assistant professor of communications at Syracuse

About half of the children under the age of five separated from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border were reunited with their parents by Tuesday’s deadline, but the Trump administration says it was not able to reunite all of the children in that age group by that time. Local immigrants are reacting to this news and to policies set by the White House. We hear their immigration stories and what being in America means to them. In studio: Akil Al-Jaysh, refugee from Iraq, U.S. citizen, refugee

The World Cup semifinals begin on Tuesday, with Belgium taking on France. Saturday's match broke viewership records when Croatia defeated Russia. In addition to the games themselves, the pride among fans has attracted attention on TV and social media. From victory songs, to well-rehearsed chants, to displays that have political or social messages, the World Cup is about more than sports. Our guests are super fans and natives of the countries represented in the semifinals. They join us to discuss

When we talk about urbanism, we often discuss walkability and connected neighborhoods. That movement is not just happening here in the United States; efforts toward developing complete streets are underway in some of the oldest and some of the most congested cities around the world. This hour, we talk to two international travelers who share what they've learned by studying urbanism, mobility, and tourism in cities across the globe. In studio: Howard Decker , board member for the Community

The top grossing films over the last 10 years have had a total of 1,114 directors. 45 were women. Why aren’t there more female directors in Hollywood? The question is the subject of a new film called “Half the Picture.” The film – part of the One Take Documentary Series – celebrates the groundbreaking work or women in film, and explores the systemic discrimination in the industry. We’re joined by local female filmmakers who discuss the film, their work, and the challenges they’ve faced (and

We continue our series of interviews with the candidates running to fill the Congressional seat of the late Louise Slaughter. This hour, we’re joined by GOP candidate Dr. Jim Maxwell .

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: Voter turnout and access to voting; Atheism and politics; Recreating dinosaurs; How we eat pasta.

In a recent op-ed for the Guardian, writer LA Kauffman warned activists protesting the Trump administration’s policies that marching is not enough. Kauffman writes that while the number of marches across the country continues to rise, protesters need to take additional, more tangible steps to make an impact. So what do those steps look like? We sit down with local activists who discuss their strategies and what they think will make a difference when it comes to changing policies. In studio: